Neoshipping: Before Team Rocket
by PiperSpoon13
Summary: Gee, I'm really, really bad at writing summaries...Its pretty much a story about Butch and Cassidy's past. I figured if Jessie and James had one they should too.
1. 1st day of school

Neoshipping: Before Team Rocket

By: PiperSpoon13

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or the characters I just enjoy enhanceing the backstories to my own twisted fanacy

Summery: Butch and Cassidy and how they ended up wrapped up in the crime of team rocket.

WARNING: Most of this story is teen apropreate however some parts of the diologe and possibly the content is not. If you are offended by teen drinking, smokeing (cigerates not drugs) , and the very rare use of the "F" bomb. Please stop now if you can't handle this. These things aren't constant but will be occational.

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It wasn't like I planed to become part of the biggest criminal orgainazions in the world. I know it sounds a little clieche but it is not like I have much of a choice.

"Butch!" I heard my father holler. I started to cralw out of bed. "Butch, get you ass down here". It had been like this since my mother left not a year ago. I made it down stairs and he throws a backpack at me, almost knocking me over. "Get dressed you fool" he said with a cigerate hanging from his mouth. "your going to school"

"School?" I croked a little confused my mom was going to pay my way. " but mom left"

"Yes, and don't you mention that fucking woman again you going to public schooling. She was planning to send you to some pansy privet school. Now get your ass dressed." I just nodded and ran to my room almost in tears I was only five. 'no w He then walks me to a brick bulding with rusty playground equipment. Next to it was a buliding of brick and marble with state of the arc playground equipment. Young as I was I looked up at him "Can't I go to that one over there insted?"

"No. Stay out of trouble; you know the way now so you better be home by 4. School ends at 3."

"Yes daddy."

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My first day of school was a bit depressing. Thomas my mommy's new boyfriend was taking me I wouldn't be coming home till Thanksgiving and that seemed like forever. I would be away from all my favoriate dolls as mommy only allowed me to take two of them. Boarding school. Even the name of it sounded like a drag.

"Now you be a sweet girl" Thomas said setting down my bags in my dormitory. There were three other beds in the room.

" I have to share my room?" I wined, but my wining and kicking and sceaming got me no where. I was spoiled rotten it wasn't to hard to see that.

"Yep. See you later." This I was unsure of as he was at least my mother's 5th serious boyfriend they will come to live with us and a few months later they will be gone and Mom would have a new one.

I sat in my dorm finnally starting to stop crying, when my room mate came in with a man in a black suit with a red R on it. She didn't seem too happy to be here ethier. "Why can't I just stay home with Mama" She wined her long dark red hair stuck out in a circler motion.

"you real mother left you this scholership and you better do well in this place cause I don't know how much longer your 'mama' can care for you" the man in black spoke. "Better not hear you causing trouble." he added leaving."Don't you leave me here" she yelled throwing a pillow at the closed door. She then sat and cryed for a few moments muttering unaudiable wines. Getting up she saw me and instantly blushed. " You didn't see m..me cry. Ya hear." she said a little stern for someone who could be no older than six. She then sat down on her bed. "so are you stuck here on a scholership too?"

"No, my mom sent me saying it will make me a proper young lady in todays socity. How did you get a scholership?"

"Of all the things my dead mother could of left me it had to be a scholership to a school where I stick out like a sore thumb. As the poor girl."

I can't say I didn't feel sorry for her this was the only time I didn't get my way and yet it seemed like she never got her way. What was I suposed to say. "My names Cassidy, whats yours?" she didn't answer. "Well, I gotta call you something don't I unless you prefer I call you "poor girl"

I could've swearn I saw her glare before she smiled."Jessie".


	2. I'm not a bully:not another daddy

Neoshipping: Before Team Rocket

By: PiperSpoon13

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or the characters I just enjoy enhancing the back stories to my own twisted fantasy

Summary: Butch and Cassidy and how they ended up wrapped up in the crime of team rocket.

WARNING: Most of this story is teen appropriate however some parts of the dialogue and possibly the content is not. If you are offended by teen drinking, smoking (just cigarettes) , and the very rare use of the extreme language. Please stop now if you can't handle this. These things aren't constant but will be occasional.

Authors note: the last chapter had a bit of cussing but its mainly just Butch's father which doesn't play much of a role now. The cussing will be limited now that he's been induced. ______________________________

I wasn't the only one who looked enviously at the other school. There was a group of girls who were asking to go play over there too. But like my father the teachers informed us that it was private property and we could only go as far as the chain link fence that divided them.

I'd walk my way home everyday to and empty house, pausing for a moment just to admire the wealthily children in their snazzy uniforms. I would then look down at my worn blue jeans with a hole in the right knee and a sweatshirt that was a old ugly yellow threading from the inside; I still hadn't grown into it as my father had promised. This was the day that I decided that these kids weren't any better than me or my classmates; Their mommies and daddies were the ones with the money. How dare they strut around as if they were.

I wasn't sure what I was doing anger was flowing through me like fire. I saw myself walking up to the fancy school and targeted the first kid I saw. His hair was a light blue and he was tossing a shiny green ball in the air and catching it; the ball matched his eyes. He was a true pretty boy as my father would call him. I wasn't sure what I was doing, but being as small as I was I squeezed through the iron gate and snatched the bright emerald ball from the kid, and shoved him down. I then threw the ball over the gate and sled back the way I came. Holding the the green ball on the other side I felt victorious over the snooty kids. I tossed the ball in the air and made a face at the crying boy before I took off.

It wasn't until I got home that I felt the slightest bit of remorse. The ball wasn't as shinny anymore; in fact, it looked just like my blue one I'd gotten for my birthday. Was I a bully? No, my father was the bully I was just having fun and besides that kid could easily get another one. No I wasn't a bully.

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As I had expected my mom had a new lover when I came home. His name was Jackson and unlike all her other boyfriends he tried to win me over with his time and attention unlike the others who bought me whatever I wanted just to shut me up or to barging with me to get "grown up time" with my mom. He would take me on walks while my mom was at a spas completely ignoring me as usual, and he would actually read me bedtime stories when she will be at the nearest game corner spending all his money on the slots. He also bought me my first pair of tennis shoes so I could actually play in something other than Jimmy shoes for kids. Daddy Jackson even bought me a pair of Wranglers so I wouldn't ruin my designer jeans planting flowers in the mud. It saddened me to go back to school because chances were he wouldn't be there when I came back. That was Thanksgiving, I came home that summer and to my surprise he was still there. We had a great summer walks in the huge garden he had; there where lots of cute pokemon therehe'd tell me about, and for my eight birthday, he gave me one. It was a little Ratatta. My mom hated it, "You gave her a Rattata. A Rat. They carry all sorts of germs and...ewww." Daddy Jackson then told me to keep it in the pokeball inside and around her. The next holiday I wasn't so lucky Mom and a new guy came to get me in a new bright red convertible .

"Cassie, this is Charles." she said. I couldn't explain why I was so calm when all I wanted to do was throw one of my famous tantrums. "Where's Jackson?" I asked as Charles toyed with her long curly blond locks the only trait we shared. She never was able to tell me who my real father was or where I got my purple eyes.

"Who cares," she said airly her brown eyes focused on the new boyfriend and mind clearly somewhere else. "just get in."

That summer I spent in the yard of our new estate with my Rattata, while my mother and Charles ran amuck going to "grown up" parties and clubs, leaving me with a nanny that didn't speak hardly any English. To make it worst I didn't get anything fun for my birthday my mom got me a Coach purse and lots of designer clothes that I wasn't to get dirty. Not a thing that I could actually play with or enjoy at the age of 9. It was the first summer I really wanted to go back to school at least I had a friend ,other than Rattata, there. Jessie and I had became best friends we completely ignored the other girls in our dormitory I even shared my dolls. It seemed that even if she was the poorest girl of the school I got along with her; maybe money wasn't everything like my mother had told me for as long as I remember. To be honest, I was only nice to her to start with because I was scared of her, but not any more.

The never-ending summer finally did end, and Charles, who was now my mothers 5th husband, dropped me off at the marble doors. I ran up to me room hoping Jessie was already here like all the other times, and she was. Jessie always seemed angry about something, but this time she was not only angry but in one of her jealous moods.

"Let me guess you summer was perfect as always" she said in a slight mocking tone.

"No, Daddy Jackson's gone and my mom and her new husband left me with a lady who can't speak English"

"Still sounds better than mine. You know what...Never mind you people wouldn't understand."

Trying to hide my hurt by her words, I responded, "I can try, just talk to me."

"No, I'm so sick of you guys, and your money ,and the fact ya'll never have to go hungry; ya'll all have to have top of the line clothing while I'm stuck with hand-me-downs from charities. The only reason why I was even able to come here was because my mother, my birth mother, had high status in a company with lots of power. The company that killed her. They gave me the scholarship to feel better about themselves. So drop the poor little rich girl act cause I got you beat."

"Fine!" I yelled. "Go throw yourself a pity party and see who's gonna come cause I know I won't be there." With that I ran out of the room to the back of the play ground and curled up by a tree and cried. How dare she talk to me that way; it's not like anyone else showed intrest in her. It was bad enough that half the people here wouldn't talk to her because she was poor and those who did were scared off by her tough coding. I vainly hoped, that when I went back everything will be back to normal, but the truth was that, Jessie and I would never be friends again.

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Authors Note: sorry I haven't got around to the two of them meeting. the next chapter they will I promise.


	3. The Forbidden Fence

Neoshipping: Before Team Rocket

By: PiperSpoon13

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or the characters I just enjoy enhancing the back stories to my own twisted fantasy

Summary: Butch and Cassidy and how they ended up wrapped up in the crime of team rocket.

WARNING: Most of this story is teen appropriate however some parts of the dialogue and possibly the content are not. If you are offended by teen drinking, smoking (just cigarettes), and the very rare use of the extreme language. Please stop now if you can't handle this. These things aren't constant but will be occasional.

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Bullying the rich kids got old after a few years, but it didn't stop me from wanting what they had. They all seemed happy. They had friends; the only friend I had was a Spearow I fed my crust from my peanut-butter sandwich years earlier and it followed me since, eventually I had to get a pokeball for it so my dad wouldn't get mad. I named him Beaky; I'm not sure why though. I would sit with him under a tree and read, occasionally looking up at the kids. They never got close to the chain link fence that divided our worlds, but one day a saw a small girl about my age, ten. She was sitting with her back to the rest and head buried in her knees. Her long frizzy blonde hair covered her face and most of her body; a little Rattata seemed to be trying it's hardest to cheer her up. Curious at why she was crying I approached the fence. "Whatcha crying for?" I said in the most concern voice I could muster. I didn't want her thinking I was mocking her.

"What do you care?" she said looking up at me her violet eyes all glassy. She picked up the Rattata; it had stared to nibble at her socks to get her attention

"I don't know. You just seem sad, and if I didn't get your attention soon that little Rattata would have chewed a hole right though your socks. Its pretty cute for a rat" this time I got a smile; it was a kind of smile that should be in magazines, a truly beautiful smile.

"My mom hates her." she said sadly walking closer to the fence. "Why are you sitting all alone?" she adds suspiciously.

All I could do is shrug. "I don't know. Beaky and I don't make friends well." I said picking up my Spearow.

"You seem to be doing alright to Me." she said and I could've sworn she blushed. A teacher then came up to her and grabbed her arm.

"What have I told you about going out this far? You don't need to be talking the children on this end." the teacher then looked at me. "Sir I advise you not to talk to my students. Their parents pay good money to send them here; not to talk to future delinquents like you. Cassie say good bye to your friend; if you're not back in the classroom in ten minutes,I'll be forced to call you parents."

"Sorry." she said almost in tears again. "Maybe we can talk later, my names Cassidy but everyone here calls me Cassie."

"Butch. Your not gonna get in too much trouble are you?" I said feeling bad for getting her scolded

"Nah. Ms. Jones has a heart-attack whenever anyone is away from the playground equipment. For what it's worth, I don't think you a delinquent." with that she waved goodbye and ran back throwards the school.

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As I ran from the fence I couldn't get the boy out of my head. He was so nice to me. It seemed that being rich only lost me friends. For the rest of the day, I found my self day-dreaming about him. From his blue-green hair down to his ripped blue jeans. They could call my parents; I didn't care. I was going to see him again. The next day I ran to the same tree I cryed my eyes out by. I couldn't even remember why I was crying in the first place something Jessie had said to me; It didn't matter now. There he was reading with Beaky the Spearow. I found myself adjusting my uniform and pressing my hair down. "Butch!" I said just loud enough for him to hear. He looked up at me and smiled putting his book down. I felt my knees go slightly week as my heart melted.

"you came back. Now who's the deliquent."

I spent every recess for the next month at the fence with Butch. I told him how I hate having to be perfect and proper all the time and he told me about how much he hated his father. He even sent Beaky over to play with my Rattata;In Fact, We battaled them just for fun. I managed to seek about untill someone *cough* Jessie, ratted me out. My parents were to be called and insted of recess I was to run laps in the gym for the rest of the year. It was prehaps the worst punishmet they could of given me, but it didn't stop me from thinking of him or him me. That night I heard a light pecking; Beaky was at my window; I quickly opened it to avoid waking the other girls. It had a note in his beak and gave it to me, and before flying home he gave me a light bite of affection on the ear. I closed the window and opened the note as fast as I could without ripping it.

Cassie: I know you can't come out to the fence anymore cause those snooty teachers, but may be we can leave notes somehow. Your my best friend scence Beaky and I refuse to let our social statis to tear us apart. We'll try to figure things out, but summers coming and you'll be going home to where ever. Here's my adress please write.

Butch

Beaky was still outside wating for my respose I guess. I quickly jotted something down.

'I'm not sure where I'm staying this summer but I'll be sure to write you. untill then we'll send short notes with Beaky

.-Cassidy

I folded up the paper and handed it over to the bird pokemon. Then giddied my self to sleep. 'He wrote me'.

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The day Cassidy was caught I knew chances of the teachers even giving her a chance to come back to the fense were slim to none. The teacher had grabbed her by the arm tightly she barley had time to wave good-bye. Before she was out of sight her Rattata even had trouble keeping up with her. Later that day I was called to the principal's office. It turned out that same teacher, came to be sure I was punished occordingly for 'stalking' her students. My father was called to take me home; the school only suspended me for the rest of the day for getting too close to the forbidin fence and making them look bad. The real punishment was that of my fathers. The car ride was quiet, really quiet. I had to break the silence. "Dad I was just talking to her; She's my only friend"

"You still don't get it do you." the calmness of his voice told me I would get the belt when I got home; if he didn't yell he'd take his belt to me. Lighting a cigerate he continued "You two are from differnet worlds; Just talking to a girl like that could be twisted into an assult by those people. To them you are just trailer trash and they're not far off."

After being beat with his belt till it hurt to sit, I ran up to my room and let Beaky out. "I need you to be quiet." I said to him. " You bealive me don't you?" It fluttered its wings and crowed in a purring like way. I wonder how bad shes getting it? I needed to contact her tell her that this wasn't gonna stop me from being her friend. "Beaky do you think you can find her room." the bird could only nodd and gave his purring crow again. I then wrote a short note knowing it would look fishy if it was much bigger. "Can you take this to her and be quiet I don't want to get her in more trouble; try to get a note from her if no one else is awake."


	4. Run Away

Neoshipping: Before Team Rocket

By: PiperSpoon13

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or the characters I just enjoy enhancing the back stories to my own twisted fantasy

Summary: Butch and Cassidy and how they ended up wrapped up in the crime of team rocket.

WARNING: This Chapter contains some disturbing descriptions Especially in the first part. Nothing too graphic but disturbing none The less. If this bothers you, skip to first page break. You might be a little lost but will catch on soon enough.

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Not being able to go down to that fence the rest of the year was a drag. The only thing I really looked forward to was seeing Butch's Spearow at my window.

when the time came for me to go home. I was a bit scared to be honest. What had they said to them; that I was playing with a boy from a public school, or worst. Ether way my punishment wasn't over. My mom came to pick me up in another fancy car. Not even introducing the new man in her life she told me to get in.

The car ride was a lot shorter than usual. She didn't speak to me at all till dinner later that week. "I am very disappointed in you for even looking at that boy. I bet he didn't even own a pair of slacks much less an approvable brand. I thought I taught you better than that"

I felt myself gripping my salad fork more tightly, with strange thoughts of throwing it at boyfriend across the table or better just stabbing her with it. I pushed the thoughts out of my head. She was still my mother, but I wasn't going to listen to her ranting. "I had plenty" I said as properly as my anger would let me, "may I be excused?"

"No, you may not" she said her eyes glaring in to mine. "This is Kenneth by the way. You will call him Mr. Brockmen and he will be carrying out the rest of your punishment." She then looked over at him and he nodded. Unknowingly, I begin to shake. He was a lot bigger than the others. He had a sharp face with shoulder length black hair pulled back in a ponytail. His large biceps are what frightened me most. The school didn't believe in corpleal punishment and my mother never really gave anything but lectures. He then sternly grabbed my arm and led me to my bedroom.

"I'm not going to hit you if that's what your thinking but you can't tell your mother. Do you understand?" All I could do was nod frighenly. "So what are we going to do for all this 'punishing time'?" He said but something in his voice sent chills down my spine. "Oh I almost forgot" he said. "Go to the mirror and close your eyes." Still a little scared of his size, I did as I was told. Next thing I know I feel cool beads along my neck. "open them" he said clasping something underneath my hair. I then see small dark pink pearls around my neck. "You like them?" he said running his finger underneath them. Something wasn't right about this guy. I begin to back up just to get some space between us. "You didn't answer me" he said deleting the space I made. Now grabbing me around the waist.

"They're uh nice." I said backing up a little more working my way to the nightstand that had Rattata's pokeball.

"You know your much prettier than your mother." He said kissing my neck. 'Just a little more' I thought backing up. Finally the pokeball was in my grasp.

"Hyper fang." I said as quickly as I could get it out. She then bit him hard on the ankle just to be kicked across the room seconds later. Kenneth then resumed. He lifted me up onto the now empty nightstand proceeding to biting my neck and exploring under my blouse. I bit my lip knowing if I yelled out my mom would just think it was him punishing me(if she cared to begain with); instead, I kept my eyes on Rattata. 'come on wake up ' I thought struggling against him. She was starting to come to but than began to glow. The next thing I knew a Raticate was biting Kenneth repeatively; He was at now on his back holding his shin hollering obscenities.

I was still shaking violently but I managed to climb out my window, after returning my new Raticate. One thing the punishments of the school did for me was improve my speed; I ran down to the pond, I saw pulling our way in. I would wait here until they went to sleep, then I'll go back and get my things. My mother wouldn't believe me if I told her and I wasn't going to sleep in that house. Not when he could do whatever he pleased with me. I released Raticate from her pokeball. "Sorry, I haven't thanked you yet but I had to get out of there. You really did good back there you know." I paused remembering the pearls around my neck , they were pretty; I actually did like them, but they were from him. Closing my eyes I ripped them off. Little pink balls flew into the clear pond putting ripples thought the moonlight reflection. I looked back down at my hand four pink balls remained. Angrily I threw the remains in the pond and curled up and cried for an hour or so, even though it seemed like much more.

Finnally all the lights were out in the house. I began to work my way back; once there I grabbed my book bag in the foyer and headed to my bedroom. Digging though my drawers, I found the wranglers; I quickly slipped out of the skirt and tights. 'Please fit' I thought to myself trying vainly to button them. After admitting that they wouldn't fit, I dug for the next most confrontable pair and slid them on. Then went to my closet and got a green T-shirt and a blue hoodie that had some designer name I cared nothing about. The tennis shoes Daddy Jackson gave me we long gone and didn't fit at all. I got the next best thing which were some flats that where almost like tennis shoes. I glanced at the mirror, long frizzy hair was hardly a style for a runaway. I then took my hair brush and fixed two thick braids going strait down my back. Grabbing the artist hat Jackson gave me, I left my room back to the foyer. There I dug in the closet for my mothers purse. After finding her wallet, I grabbed her least used credit card and all the cash, which amounted to about $120, and left.

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Everyday after summer began I waited for the mail to make sure I was the first to get it, and everyday I was disappointed to find that there was no letter from Cassidy. I was beginning to think that the brainwashing she received daily from those broads and her parents too more than likely had finally taken it's toll, but one night in about the third week I heard tapping on my window. I pulled the curtain back nervously; there she was. After throwing on some clothes, I ran outside as quietly as I could as not to wake my father who was hangover, on our mouth eaten couch. The second I got outside two tiny arms were thrown around my waist. She was shaking a bit but not because it was cold; It was a warm summer night. All I could do was return the hug. It was the first time we had any real physical contact; Once we had held hands through the fence briefly before she had to leave. "What did they do to you?" I asked looking back at her. She looked completely different, thinner; she looked as if she could've actually came from my side of the fence.

"It doesn't matter now; I'm not going back there or to the school. I don't know where I'm going I just know I can't go back. I was wondering if you wanted to come with me.?" I was a little taken back by this but nodded.

"Let me go grab some things." I said heading back in. I got to my room and grabbed a set of clothes and my base ball cap; I was about to leave when I saw my dad's cigarettes sitting on the coffee table. Not thinking I grabbed the whole carton and dumped all but three packs in my back pack, grabbed one of the lighters from the table, and I don't know why but I grabbed the extra bottle of whisky that he didn't need. I zipped up my backpack, quickly double checking everything. Beaky was in his pokeball, which was in the pocket of my jeans: clothes, underwear, socks, shoes? I then noticed I'd forgotten to put shoes on; how could I be so stupid. Finally ready, I met her outside. "Alright what happened." I said worriedly. What had happened to make her so rash? I soon regretted this, as tears formed in her lavender eyes.

"My mom's new boyfriend...He...uh..tried to do things. Bad things. He would have done more if it hadn't been for Raticate. My mom won't care and I couldn't stay there and let him have his way with me."

I wasn't sure what to say. To be honest I wanted to go back to where ever and smash his face in, but I knew she wouldn't go for it and I was no match for a grown man. "You look tired I know an abandoned tree house around here where we can sleep and we'll head out to where ever tomorrow." she only nodded. I had forgotten all the questions I had planed to ask and thought of entire new ones. Like how long she had been on the run; how she got here. When her Rattata evolved. We finally got to the old tree house I helped her up and followed behind her. Before I can even ask her if she was alright, she had fallen asleep. Unable to go to sleep, I pulled out a pack of cigarettes. My dad said they calm his nerves so maybe they would do the same for me. Putting the cigarette in my mouth, I dug for the lighter. It was hard to get it lit, but once I did, I felt my nerves discenagrate with the filter. I then curled up across from Cassidy; Using my backpack as a pillow, I feel asleep.


	5. As far away as we can get

Neoshipping: Before Team Rocket

By: PiperSpoon13

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or the characters I just enjoy enhancing the back stories to my own twisted fantasy

Summary: Butch and Cassidy and how they ended up wrapped up in the crime of team rocket.

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It was the sun that woke me up. I sat up looking around to tree house for Butch; He was no where to be seen. I then peaked outside. He was standing next to the tree. Smoking? I hopped down as it wasn't too far up.

"Your awake." he said happily. "How are you feeling?"

To be honest I was a little hungry but I wasn't going to tell him that. I hadn't eaten since sometime yesterday, a guenla bar at a convinent store. "A little better now that I've slept. Since when do you smoke?"

"Just last night; They're great for the nerves you wanna try" he said offering the one he had already started.

I took the the cigarette casually and inhaled but it quickly turned in to a cough and he took it back and ackwardly said, "Uh...I'm sorry they do wonders for mine. I was really worried about you last night."

I felt my cheeks turn red. "You were?" I asked receiving a responding nodd.

"I'm just wondering, When did you run off? How did you get all the way to my house?" I couldn't blam him I would have lots of questions too.

" I ran off about a four days ago; I took my mom's credit card and some cash. I then walked to the nearest city following cars and such, taking rests and naps under bridges and in clearings behind bushes and ate junk at connivance stores so not to loose time; I wanted to get as far from that place as fast as I could. Then I took a cab to your negiborhood and hunted down you place. I still have just under a hundred dollars and as far as I know they haven't canceled the credit card yet. Do you know any places to eat around here?" I asked as I could no longer ignore my growling stomach. I wondered if he had any reason for running off; he once told me his dad beat him for stupid reasons, but he never talked about running away."Are you sure you want to come with me?" I asked, afraid he'd second guess himself.

"Why wouldn't I? I'll tell you what I know a diner uptown that isn't pricey and is run by a bunch of people who don't care where the money came from but as long as you pay. So your mom's card will go though fine." I had lost him at 'why wouldn't I' but I nodded any way trying to hide my red cheeks.

Once seated at the dinner I began to look at the menu. I recognized most of the foods but not the captions underneath them. I knew this place was much differnt than the food back home or at the school. "Butch?" I said nervously. "I...uh.. don't know what to order it's just I really..uh." I couldn't even speak hardly.

"You want me to order for you because you've been fed nothing but caviar and other rich foods your whole life." his voice wasn't angry or mocking, but seemed to understand that this was a whole new world to me. When the waitress came back he spoke. "I'll have your Country Fried Steak and she will have uh...Chicken strips with a baked potato." she gave us a strange smile like it was first date and our parents droped us off but she took our order anyway. "You have a birthday coming up don't you" I was surprised he even remembered I'd only told him it was in July. Truth was, my birthday was a day before I showed up at his trailer. "How old are you gonna be?"

"I turned eleven... the day before yesterday." I said quietly

"Oh...well happy belated birthday, I'll be twelve come October."

The rest of the dinner was unually quiet. The chicken strips he had ordered me were strange tasting and far to much for me to eat in one sitting but so was everything else I'd been eating since I left. He ate all his plate and bits of mine. We put the rest in a 'doggy bag' and he put the Styrofoam carton in his bag for later. "Where to now?" he asked standing outside the diner

"I don't know I really didn't make out a plan after I got you. Anywhere you want to go, I guess."

"As far away as we can get." was Butch's response and I had no probablm travling mindlessly with him.

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"As far away as we can get" I said. I didn't know why I left home; when she showed up at my window, I just left. I had no reason to stay. The only thing I had to worry about now was finding us another place to stay tonight. I chose a buzy road and followed it. The quite was driving me mad but what was I going to say to break it? I couldn't bring up the her mom's boyfriend even though I was curious how far he got. Just thinking about him made me angry. What was going to happen when the stolen credit card was canceled or when the cash ran out. Maybe I can find a old abandoned house and get a job. Either way neither of us was going to turn around; if I went back I'd be beaten to death I'm sure, and poor Cassie will have to deal with being the boyfriend's plaything. After about an hour of walking, we had to stop at a gas station for some water. "I'm sorry we don't take credit cards." the rough looking man said to her. She then pulled out a wad of bills; I had never seen so much cash in my life much less in the hands of someone as young as we were. The man must have noticed too because he said "Gee thats a lot of money for a little girl to be carrying around."

I was about to answer for her but she thought faster, "I just had a birthday and my rich uncle loves to spoil me." it was a good enough answer for him. We continued on till dusk,when we were both too tired to go on. We had made it out of town and it was mainly wilderness. After finding a soft clearing, we set up camp.

Cassidy had been really quiet the whole way; I think it was because we didn't have any small talk left and I didn't want her to re-live what happened back home, but she finally broke the silence. "Thank you." I was confused at why she was thanking me; my face must of said the same thing. "For taking care of me like this; For listening to all my 'poor little rich girl stories' and I don't know what else but I'm sure there's more."

I didn't know what to say I just leaned of over and kissed her lightly on the forehead. "We should get some sleep

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	6. Tents and Credit

Neoshipping: Before Team Rocket

By: PiperSpoon13

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or the characters I just enjoy enhancing the back stories to my own twisted fantasy

Summary: Butch and Cassidy and how they ended up wrapped up in the crime of team rocket.

___________________________

I layed down that night thinking of how long we could pull this off. We needed to use the card as much as possible before Mom realizes it's gone. Maybe we should get a tent or something that way we don't have to find shelter if it rains, and other suvivlal supplies such as a first aid kit and a better pair of sneekers.

"Butch" I said first thing the next morning, feeling incredibly stupid. He looked up giving me the 'go ahead'. "Do you know of a place that sells just about everything, you know food camping gear the works."

" You mean a super market?"

"So that's what their called" I said feeling even more stupid.

"yeah I saw one not too far back" he added struggling to sit up. "You have a point a tent and a warm sleeping bag will be a much better alternative to the dirt." All I could to was smile. It seemed a lot shorter back to the city than it was getting out of it, but that could be cause we were both rested or more than we were the night before. We finally reached the super market Ditto-Mart. Inside it was like a huge gymnasium with shelves and shelves of stuff. Butch seemed to know his way around so I followed. "All the same" he said.

"What?" I asked feeling dumb for the umpteenth time.

"The Ditto-Marts are built all the same. You know your way around one you can find your way around them all." How you couldn't get lost in here was a mystery to me. There were clothing on my right and magazines on my left. We turned right and I found office supplies and cleaning stuff. We finally reached what we were looking for which was just as confusing. There were so many kinds of tents, I didn't know which to pick. Butch was the first to narrow it down, "We're gonna be putting up and taking down this thing a lot; we need one that's light and easy to carry as we shouldn't stay in once place very long. Uh...you don't mind sharing do you. It's just I don't think it's necessary..."

As cute as his stuttering was, I had to stop him; to be honest I'd be disappointed if we didn't share a tent, but I needed to be more subtle about it than that. "You right and besides finding a clearing big enough for a tent and campfire will be hard enough much less two of them." We settled on a single tent that roomed two and seemed easy to assemble. The next stop was the shoes. "Should we get them a little big so they'd fix if we grow some." I asked hoping for once that morning I wouldn't seem like a moron.

"Maybe for me but you should probably get something a little more fitting...because girls don't grow is much after ten." After trying on many pairs of shoes, we chose what seemed like the most durable even if they were kind of ugly. It didn't matter much they'll be covered in mud in a week or so anyway. We carted a first aid kit and a fifteen dollars worth of canned tuna fish, before we realized we had forgotten to get sleeping bags and had to walk all the way back to 'Sporting Goods'. After looking at the sleeping bags we decided they were far to bulky for travel by foot and got a few throw blankets instead.

After throwing a few rain ponchos in the basket, a blue one for Butch, and a purple one for myself, we headed for the check out. There was a stout, middle-aged woman with a kind face. "Are you two planning a camping trip? I love to see families taking trips together." her voice was loud and had a pitch that hurt my ears a bit but I nodded to avoid any conflict. "Are you two twins? I aways wished I had a twin; Fraternal right?" finally Butch cut in as I handed her the credit card.

"Yeah, our parents dropped us off it seemed we were a little short on camping gear. I'm just glad they finally stopped dressing us alike." 'He's brillent' I said to myself as we left the super market; I couldn't of chose a better guy to runaway with; not to mention better looking. We walked back in the same direction as we had been after picking up some plastic forks at a fast food restaurant. Butch carried the tent; we each managed to stuff the ponchos and blankets in our book bags and put all but two cans of tuna in our bags and the bag the tent came with. After walking a while we sat and ate a can each; they didn't taste good but what can you expect for .74 cent food. I couldn't eat all mine so I fed it to Rattaicate and Beaky; I had felt bad for keeping her cooped up in her pokeball for so long. It seemed the more we walked the less and less cars we saw. We were in the middle of no where again. Once dusk had set in Butch sent his Spearow out to find a clear patch of land in the woods to set up camp. The tent was roomier than I thought it would be and that I had secretly hoped; we both had room to wrap up in the throw blankets and lay on our lumpy backpacks.

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Eating tuna from a can for a few weeks could make a vegan crave a steak; If vegans ate tuna that is. It seemed we were heading heading west forever. Looking behind me I saw a sign that said, "Teranceville 120 miles". Which was about 50 miles west of our home town. That was a little under three hours by car: . We had been gone just over a month. I had been smoking the cigarettes I stole, one in the morning, one at night. Unfortunately they began to run out when I realized I had only two packs left this morning I decided I should only smoke one a day the lack of my morning nicotine was killing me, but I wasn't gonna let her know that. Cassidy and I had our share of arguments during that month too some about that, but mainly having to do with her not eating until she was about to faint, but for the most part, we got along. I felt somewhat clean for the first time in weeks as Cassidy and I had striped down to our underwear and jumped in the pound; I had trouble not staring at her. Her blond hair was all over the place almost like an Afro when we got out; she then spent the next hour combing it into the double braid style she hadn't taken down since we left. "Cassie what do you say we take a break from tuna." I said as we headed to the next town.

"What do you have in mind?" she asked just glancing at me.

I was planing to go what ever sounded good once we got to town, "I don't know babe" I couldn't believe I had just said that. She stopped in her steps; please, don't let her be mad at me. I had stopped to "I'm sorry it's just I been.." but my words were cut off by her placing her lips on mine.

"Don't worry about it, babe." was she making fun of me; I found myself kissing her back. She quickly broke off the kiss, cheeks pink as a Likitounge. "Let go eat." We then continued on like our spit exchange didn't happen; I knew it was the face we were both so embarrassed. Pre-teen hormones were just like that. Random; One day your crazy about a girl the next she could just as well be a dude. We made it to town and settled on another run down diner, after all anything was better than tuna. We were seated and given the expect usual smile saying, 'Aww...they're so cute.' "Let's treat ourselves after all we do have your moms credit card" she said playing along with the assumed date we were on.

We savored every bite of the plates we ordered ,and when it came time to pay, I hand over the credit card casually as if I was trying to impress Cassidy, who just giggled at my acting. The waitress gave me the "aww.." smile again, as she left to ring up the food. She stood there scanning the card over and over; maybe their credit card machine was out of order, and maybe not. A man in a suit came up, and she motioned to the machine. I tuned in to bits any pieces of their conversation.

"But..they're just kids what would they be doing with a stolen credit card" the waitress said glancing at us. Cassidy seemed to be in tone too cause I saw her eyes widen almost in fear.

"You know what" the manager said, "I bet they're runaways; I'm sure the parents have filed a missing person report; we probably should call the police and..." I didn't hear the rest because Cassidy had grabbed my wrist as she bolted out the door. I quickly grabbed our bags that we had thrown in the bushs. The credit card was gone. Once we knew we were far enough away we sat down in an alley of two buildings.

"So how much cash do we have left" I asked worriedly.

Cassidy then pulled out a small change purse and counted. "Eighty-two dollars and forty-seven cents."

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Authors Notes: sorry it took so long posting this one. I'll try to get the next one done soon. I will also like to thank my most loyal reviewer buneary709.


	7. PokeScouts

Neoshipping: Before Team Rocket

By: PiperSpoon13

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or the characters I just enjoy enhancing the back stories to my own twisted fantasy

Summary: Butch and Cassidy and how they ended up wrapped up in the crime of team rocket.

___________________________

His grip on my wrist were much stronger this time as he pinned me against the wall. Ratticate's pokeball wasn't on the night stand; I had no idea where she was. Kennith then picked me up despite of my struggles, I couldn't wiggle out of his grip. His free hand was roaming everywhere as he began to pull off my skirt with the other. "Cassie. Cassie." I managed to get a hand free and slash his face. "Cassidy!" I closed my eyes as I continued struggling against him and it stopped. I sit up right and look around; I was in the tent ;Kenneth was no where in site. Butch, however had blood seeping from his cheek. Overwhelm by guilt I apologies endlessly as I search for the unopened first aid kit. It was the first nightmare I had about the assault in ages since before I made it to Butch's trailer.

Instead he pulled me into his embrace, "It's okay are you alright?" I could only nod as I burred my face into his sweatshirt. "It was about him wasn't it?" I nodded again trying to stop shaking. "Hey." he said as I treed to go back to the bag to look for some disinfectant, but I needed to ignore him or that cut would get infected; it wasn't like my nails were half as clean as I kept them back home. After finding the kit, I pulled out some cotton balls and a mini bottle of peroxide. He winced knowing the stinging that was coming.

"Oh you big baby." rubbing the wet cotton balls along his face. I then put a bandage on the part that would not stop bleeding. "I'm still sorry." I said pushing his hair back. It had gotten so long we bought some cheap scissors to trim it down; It wasn't as beautiful as it would be if a barber did it, but it was a pretty good job for using "Kinder-cut" scissors. "It's your birthday today isn't it?" I said knowing very well it was. I had snuck off a few nights ago to an all night gas station store and bought him two packs of cigarettes. The man at the counter asked me for my ID sarcastically but I pointed to a rugged looking man smoking in his car. "My dad sent me in." The cashier looked over at him and the man waved (probably because he was staring). The total came out to just over six dollars; I paid in exact change and went back to our tent less than a mile away.

"It is isn't it?" he said solemnly.

"I got you something" I said digging in the side pocket of my bag. I then handed him the plastic black bag. "I know it's not much but we're about down to our last twenty."

"Cassie." he said a mix between flattered and 'you shouldn't of done that'." Thanks, but what are we going to do it's almost November and we're gonna have to buy more food soon."

"I'm not saying we should hold up a sign saying 'will work for food', but we may ended up having to con people anyway."

"What do you have in mind" he said opening a one of the packs I had just given him.

"Maybe we can twist the truth a bit..um..we're with the Poke-scouts and we're raising money for the runaway children's home"

"People actually give money to those freaks?" he said, digging for his lighter.

"You'll be surprised one of my step-fathers gave them a check for five-hundred dollars."

"So we're do we start?"

"The most wealthy neighborhood we can find, let's just hope we don't run into any of my mother's exs."

"How many can she have?" he said, blowing smoke into the mountain air I just gave him a 'you'll be surprised' look.

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It was the longest we had ever stayed in one spot. Everyday we would walk the three miles to the city and wander around till sunset or until we were too tired to wonder much more. It wasn't until the fourth day we found any residents that seemed to have enough money to just give away. We had cleaned ourselves up in a public restroom as we were both very filthy. We had brought out her Raticate and Beaky for the image. Cassidy seemed to have the most spunk as she went up and rang the first doorbell. A large elderly man answered the door in sweat pants and a white tank top.

"Hello we are with the Poke-Scouts of the Kanto region and we were just wondering if you would be interested in donating to the 'Runaway Children's Home' fund. Thousands of kids leave home rather to become pokemon trainers or to get away from abuse. This way the kids will have a warm bed to sleep in, even if the pokemon centers full." She was even talking like a sells man, fast.

The old man just looked down at us. "Mary!" he holler behind him. Shortly answered by an older woman in a bathrobe. "It's those poke-kids again".

The woman then looked at us, "I'm sorry but we just bought chocolate from the scouts yesterday."

"Their not selling chocolate, their doing some sort of fundraiser for runaways."

"Hey aren't you guys supposed to have uniforms for this kind of stuff?"

"Uh..", I said. "We'll be right back" and bolted out of site. Darn poke-scouts; now we have to get uniforms and probably find another neighborhood.

"Well, that didn't work" she said, kicking a rock along the curb. "Do you have any other ideas we have fifteen dollars left until one of us gets a job, and we're not even thirteen yet. Heck, I'm not even twelve.

"We'll figure something out." I said. As we walked back to town I debated to myself.' Uniforms would be a lot more convincing, but we needed to eat....' my thoughts trailed off as my eyes hit two uniformed kids, not much younger than us, that were walking by. Bingo. I didn't recognized the uniform but who cared as long as it fooled the old rich folks we were gonna sucker? I thought back to my bullying days on the playground; all I had to do was convince myself they deserved it and then I could convince Cassidy. I had nothing. then I saw the little kid they were tormenting....they reminded me of myself back then. That was reason enough for me. "Hey!" I yelled at the scouts. The two looked up at me. They were the classic bullying team the little one holds him while the other throws the punches. The larger one had navy hair in a style similar to my own but had left a thick strand of bangs hanging by his left eye. The other was a scrawny kid with light brown hair and a really nasty face. The kid they were bullying took off while his enemies were distracted. "Who do you think you are picking on a kid half your size." at least in my bullying days I didn't go after anyone smaller than me.

"Who do think you are trying to stop us? Or are you just trying to impress your little girlfriend here?" he said approaching Cassidy. I then tackled the kid with my entire body; the little one tried to follow his buddy's example but was pounced by Cassidy from behind. I struggled to get the large boy on his stomach and twist his arms back . "Uncle! Uncle!" the boy cried quickly. I loosened my grip a bit but kept it firm. "Alright what do you want?" the kid said panting.

I looked over at Cassidy who seemed to be having more trouble than I was blood was dripping from her nose but the bully didn't look any better his face was all scraped up and had almost identical to the scratches on my face but seemed better aimed and deeper. "Call off you buddy first"

"Why should I?" the boy spat back at me I then reseeded to twisting his arms. "Alright, Alright Craig we lost; let her go." As soon as she was away from the little one, who wasn't that little to began with, I continued

"We want those uniforms." I said finally releasing him.

"Why would you want these things" he said sitting up his knees were all bloody with dirt in the cuts.

"That's none of your business" Cassidy piped in "You will hand those uniforms over or Bob here will have to pin you again." she added, wiping her bloody nose once more.

"That's right. Thanks Sarah" I said giving her a fake name as will and glaring at the bullies.

"Let's just give them what they want Sean." Craig wined removing his sash. Once they handed over the uniforms, we took off. Once back to our tent we tried them on. The uniforms drowned us both but it was the best we had.

The next day we would start our conning again. After two weeks of walking door to door, we had been given just over thirty dollars, which was just about gone because Cassidy had to buy some things 'lady stuff' is what she said. I knew what she was talking about after all she was almost 12.

It was raining that day and very cold. The house was a two story with gray brick. The hedges were gorgeously trimmed even though it was early December. We quickly splashed our way up to the door in our faded ponchos and knocked the brass Arcainine door thingy. A man around fifty answered the door. He was tall and his salt and peper hair was just beginning to thin out. His matching mustache was neatly combed. Even though he was rather muscular, but a belly was starting to form. Cassidy just stared for a moment instead of reciting her usual. The next thing I know she throws her arms around the man. He looks down at her and puts a gentle hand on her head "Cassie" he mummered. She looks up to him with a begging glance, "We're in trouble Jackson".


	8. You can't stay here

Neoshipping: Before Team Rocket

By: PiperSpoon13

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or the characters I just enjoy enhancing the back stories to my own twisted fantasy

Summary: Butch and Cassidy and how they ended up wrapped up in the crime of team rocket.

Warning: this chapter contains teen drinking and one or two curse words

___________________________

I couldn't believe our luck, of all the ex-lovers of my mothers we could run it to, not that I didn't feel bad for asking him. "Why don't you and your friend come in and Lilly and I can get you something to eat; you look like the starving kids on those commercials" he said inviting us in. "Lilly!" he yelled kindly to the kitchen. A thin woman in her late forties, peeked out in the room. Her hair was a dark red and was beginning to gray in some areas.

"Yes, dear" she said her voice was soft but not in a frightened like way. I was a bit shocked that he had re-married after the way my mother treated him, but who in their right mind couldn't love this man. He was the one who gave to all the charities and volunteered at pokemon centers and stuff like that.

"Can you make that dinner for four, no" he added taking another look at us. "Just go ahead and make it six" Jackson asked apologetically. She smiled and gave a nod before heading back to the kitchen. Jackson then looked at me and motioned us to sit down on his white leather sofa.

I shook my head. "But were covered in mud." I had taken off my shoes at the door and Butch followed my example

But Daddy Jackson shook his head. "Mud washes off, why don't I take those rain coats." Butch and I quickly sled out of the ponchos and handed them over. "Are you going to introduce me to your buddy here?" he asked with a similar gleam as the waitresses. 'I didn't introduce them. How could I of been so rude.

"Oh, Jackson this is Butch. Butch this is my Daddy Jackson" I said. Butch suddenly became really shy and stared at his brown and yellow stained socks.

"Nice to meet you son." he said handing a hand to Butch who kept his head down. I elbowed him in the ribs and he quickly took the hand shake. He must of felt how I felt at the dinner. That seemed so long ago. "So, young lady you have a lot of explaining to do starting with the real reason why you ran away." I had dreaded this question but I redirected it.

"What did they say?" I said irritated at the story I was about to hear; there was no way Kenneth would tell them what really had had happened.

"When I first heard you went missing it was in a newspaper; I subscribed to across the regain. I've been tracking your mother because I was worried about you. When she asked for a divorce, I even thought about trying for custody ,but my lawyer said I didn't have a chance. ' The mother hasn't done anything to disprove her character other than her love life, and that is kept away from the child. The child hasn't been left alone, so physical neglect isn't an angle and emotional neglect isn't strong enough to waver a jury to take a child away from her birth mother and give it to a man of no relation other than a broken marriage.' So I've been subscribing to the newspapers of where ever she was staying." he then walked over to a wooden bookshelf and pulled out a photo album and handed it to me. As a flipped through I saw the last two marriages my mother had Charles and Kenneth. I was hardly mentioned in any of them I finally reached a single picture of me, it looked like an death announcement but above it said missing, under had an article which I read allowed.

Cassidy Brinkmen, daughter of Candace Brinkmen,(my mother never changed her name), has disappeared from her bed room. It papers that the child has been kidnapped; clothing was thrown all about the room. If you have any knowledge about the whereabouts of Cassidy..blah blah.

I finished knowing the information. "So how did you know I wasn't taken?" I asked curiously

"Simple. Look closer at the picture of your bed room." I stared down at the picture. "Right there" he said pointing at the window. "No grown up could fit through that window with a child and a suit case. Not to mention you were on the second floor. I read though the article many time before finding holes; no suspects your mothers marriage was barely know they had eloped the week before, and it seemed like the room had been trashed after the fact to begin with. Now Cassie what really happened?" he asked tears forming in his greenish- gray eyes.

"I had gotten home from school. It seems that being kind to others at that school is a bunch of crap if your not the same social class." I then explained about Butch and how we were forbidden to see each other even though he had been nothing but a gentleman to me. "Mom said I should be punished for my misconduct and Kenneth was the one that should do it.." I couldn't continue my word had started to crack and slow down to a complete stop. Butch who had stopped staring at his feet and focused on the album looked up and for the first time since we came in spoke

"The son of a bitch tried to raped her" Jackson and I were both shocked by his language but over looked it. After a long silence, Jackson tried to change the subject, and put on a see-though smile

"How that little Rattata I gave you ?" I reached for my poke-ball asking and let her out. "A Raticate?" he said excitedly "When did it evolve?"

That killed the slightly improved mood "She evolved to hurt him bad enough for me to escape."

" Lucky Lilly popped in with a smile, "Dinner" we were then led to the dinning room. It was homey rather than glossy like everything had been at home, on the table was...well some kind of casserole but Butch and I ate more than our share, despite the way it looked it was far better than tuna.

Jackson was the next to speak, "Cassie, as much as I would like you to stay, you can't. You see your mother.." I re-tasted the casserole spices at the graveness of his voice. "was killed two weeks ago at a party and custody of you was to go to her current husband" tears flooded my eyes; I still cared about her even if she cared little about me. He looked up to me like it was paining him to say this. "Kenneth. He has place warrants out for all your mother's ex-husbands saying they are the top suspects in your 'kidnapping'. It just a matter of time before they search mine. The only reason why I know this is I'm friends with Thomas, who's house was searched the other day, it's just a matter of time before they search mine. I never hated your mother even if she was a no-good-airhead and a neglectful-cheating-whore." we almost smiled the insult was dead on, but he frowned again." I'm sorry but you and Butch can't stay" he then pushed back from the table." I can help you out however, one moment." he left the table.

His wife who had been really quite the whole time then spoke. "You know he talks about you all the time." she said smiling at me. "He's a good man; I wish your mother could of seen that for your sake.

Jackson then returned to the table with a brown leather wallet and a paper sac. He then handed the wallet to Butch, "It was given to me by my mother, she's old with Alzheimer , and only recalls me telling her ten years ago I need a new wallet, so every year she has her nurse pick out the most elegant leather wallet and wrap it for my birthday. I haven't the heart to tell her I have seven untouched leather wallets. Inside is five-hundred dollars." He then opened the sac. "Lilly and I had made a point to buy clothing for the orphanage every season, but we can easily replace the spring donation", he said, as he handed Butch a pair of Levi jeans a dark blue short sleeve shirt with graffiti designs and a brown zip up hoodie. He had wrapped what I assumed were fresh boxers in the jeans trying not to embarrass him. "These should fit you the bathrooms on your left." He then pulled out a pair of jeans a green t-shirt that had a tie-dye hearts all over it. and a purple zip-up hoodie, in the jeans was a package of bikini cut underwear, and a new bra. I found myself blushing a little. "I know it's lame dressing the same but we bought these at the same place and.." Butch stopped the conversation as he nervously stepped out of the bathroom.

"Thank you, sir" he said. It was far to obvious he was afraid of being impolite. He was carrying his muddy clothes in his arms. Lilly jumped up and handed him a Ditto-Mart plastic bag. After trying my new set of clothing. He handed us two puffy coats." Where are you two staying"

"In a tent in the woods not too far from here" Butch said.

"Good, I want you two to stick together and don't bother getting a hotel room. The only hotels that except unsupervised children as customers are so dangerous you'd might as well be sleeping in alleys where all the gangs hang out." as we left I heard him say something to Butch that was hushed." You will take care of her won't you"

"Always" he replied

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I have to admit having five-hundred or so dollars in the back pocket of my jeans made me feel more vain, but we couldn't get careless; we had to live on this five-hundred dollars for how ever long it takes to find another way to live. We had stopped by a Ditto-Mart on the way back to our tent for some food and water, with winter setting in it was likely the lake they had been using will freeze over. Not to mention we should be finding some place else to go now that we had enough money we could stop preying on rich neighborhoods. by the time we got back to the tent the temperature had dropped drastically and even though the heavy coats, I felt my teeth begin to chatter. Cassie had wrapped her self tightly in the worn throw blanket. "Maybe sleeping bags weren't such a bad idea" she said though chattering teeth. I wanted to smoke but the wind was enough to kill my craving I ratter stay in the tent with our flash light lanterns thingies we'd been using. Cleaning out my bag to make room for the muddy clothes I found the bottle of whisky I stole those many months ago. "Is that what I think it is?" Cassidy said with a smile. "I read somewhere that alcohol keeps the insides warm."

"I think I did too, I saw something on TV" I said with a questioning smile as I prepared to open the bottle.

"What can it hurt?" she said trying to hurry me up. Once opened I took a large drink and swallowed hard and passed it to her. She did the same and made a wincing face as she swallowed. We continued to past the bottle back and forth and by the third swallow the alcoholic beverage begin to taste like a regular soda by the sixth Cassidy was giggling uncontrollability. When I pasted it back to her the tenth time she took a drink and kissed me hard on the lips before passing out in my lap. Knowing the same fate wasn't to far for me, I took a final drink and put it away. After laying her down on the hood of the coat, I laid down right beside her and a drunken sleep over took me.

The next morning I woke up, mid-day to a nice headache and Cassidy's puking outside the tent. I tried to sit up but the headache was so terrible the light from the sun made it worst and moving was unbearable. We laid around the tent all day." Maybe sleeping bags are a better option to staying warm" I said once she came back in she just nodded laying down next to me again. The next morning we were fully recovered from our hangovers and begin heading west to who knows where. The weather was still cold , but had gotten a little warmer as the weeks of travel went on; the snow was starting to look like patches rather than blankets; however, our coats were still necessary especially at night. We had to finish the bottle the next icy night but there wasn't enough left to make us as sick as the first time. That winter the two of us got even closer we only used half the tent now ,and even though we both blamed our new found affections on the cold, I new there was an underline reason; I wouldn't let anyone but her snuggle up to me or see such a soft side of myself. We were together weather we were mature enough to admit it or not.

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Authors Note: Sorry this took so long, I've been working at the movie theater and given a nice 40 hours for spring break. I'll try to keep up with the updates. I know this one went a bit longer than my normal.


	9. A place to stay

Neoshipping: Before Team Rocket

By: PiperSpoon13

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon or the characters I just enjoy enhancing the back stories to my own twisted fantasy

Summery: Butch and Cassidy and how they ended up wrapped up in the crime of team rocket.

____________________________________________________________

Winter was over, but it was still chilly at night. Butch had been coughing in his sleep for some time now. I would tell him it was those cigarettes, but the ones I gave him were long gone, and he hadn't smoked since. I snuggled up next to him. It felt safe there; even if, his coughing woke me up every hour. One morning he seemed really fatigue, but he was fighting it all the way. "Butch" I said sternly, "You're not leaving this tent until you get this cough under control"

"I'm fine" he choked out before coughing again. He lay back down harshly. "Alright" he said, his voice really strachy."You win."

"I'm gonna go get you some cold medicine, I'll be right back." I was about to leave before he firmly but gently grabbed my wrist.

"You be careful, OK. Only take a twenty that should cover it and if you're not back in 3 hours I'm going after you." his voice was very authoritative but I had a feeling it had to do with the promise he made Jackson. I nodded and climbed out of the ragged tent. The zipper was difficult and the rods were getting brittle we're going to have to replace it soon. I ran all the way to the nearest store. After finding the cold/sinus and whatever section, I read each box carefully before settling on a box saying it helps symptoms of coughing, sneezing, congestion, and low fevers. I got to the register and the cashier asked for ID, panicking I stuttered out "My mom didn't know I needed ID she sent me in to get it cause she wasn't feeling well." but my lies didn't help. I left the store irritably just to go in the opposite door and back to where the cold meds were. I couldn't believe what I was about to do. Looking around to be sure no one was looking I shoved two boxes in my zip-up sweater pockets, and casually bought a few candy bars at another register and walked out. On the way back I tried to justify my thievery 'What am I supposed to do Butch is pretty sick and the stupid cashier won't let me buy it without an ID, and there's no way I can tell them the truth. Police will be called, and we both will be sent home never to see each other again. I never had thought of that, all this time I thought going home will just mean dealing with Kenneth but it also meant I would never see Butch again, I couldn't live with ether.' Once back in the tent I got his half full bottle of water out; he was asleep somewhat. His breathing was raspy, and he had started to sweat. "Butch" I said quietly as not to wake him if he was sleeping deep, but he looked up with a 'huh'. "I got you some cold medicine I said handing over two pills and his water. He sat up just enough to take them before rolling over back to sleep. It was a week before he made a full recovery and complaining about his cigarette craving, once more.

Time seemed to go by so fast. Even if we did the same thing every day, it still seemed different from the towns we went through to the different kinds of Pokémon we saw. By June, Butch was going though another growth-spar and his once fitting pants were now flooding. My clothes weren't fitting right anymore ether my pants had gotten significantly tighter in the hips and my torso was a whole different problem. "Butch it's been six months we need new clothes; I'm not saying we need anything flashy but..." he smiled.

"I'm so glad you said something. We can pick up something at the next Ditto-Mart. We can get them separately if you want." I nodded slightly embarrassed; he seemed to know my little dilemma. "We also need a need a new tent the one we have was leaking in the rain last night. We walked until late afternoon before we found the store. Before separating he said "when you finished picking stuff out meet me in the sporting goods. We trying to keep it under twenty-five but if you need more don't worry about it. I know you probably need more things than I do" he said awkwardly digging his toes into the ground. I nodded before heading to the junior section. The jeans hung up on display were stylish but felt too thin; if I was to trip, a hole would form right through them. Finally I found some plain Levis on the shelf. I had looked on the tag of my pants, size 14. I then pulled out a size fourteen of the Levis. There had to be some sort of mistake. I don't think these would fit me if I was forty.

A lady in a red vest with lots of different Pokémon pins on it, "Can I help you?" she asked kindly.

"Yeah...uh... this is the first time shopping without my mom and I need a slightly bigger size. These are 14s and so are these" I said holding up the large pants. The lady let out a chuckle before saying. "Those must be kids. Here try these." She said handing me a size 4P. I took the pants they looked like they might fit. The woman then pointed out the fitting room. After thanking her, I begin looking for a t-shirt. Picking one out was harder than I thought all they had was very thin shirts that I knew wouldn't be appropriate for the amount of traveling we do. I then assumed the shirts I would be looking for would be on the shelf too rather than display. There were solid colored polo shirts; I chose a black. Assuming the sizing was different again I got the smallest they had XS. After picking a new bra I tried everything on and to my surprise, everything fit for the most part. The jeans were a little big in the waist but not so much I needed a different size. I also added a light blue sweater but thought better of it summers on its way and I had more growing to do, more than likely. Butch was already waiting by the tents and picked out a single that seemed more durable than the one we had even when it was new; it was also the same price. When we got to the register the cashier seemed to be zoning in and out of sleep as if he had been standing there for the last eight hours. The cashier took our money. He seemed to care little about who we were or what we were buying. I decided to take the chance and try to score Butch some cigarettes so he would be less cranky like he's been for the last month or so now. "Hey Bob," Butch looked up at me wondering what I was up to. I continued, "Didn't Dad say to bring him home a carton of cigarettes."

Catching my drift he said, "Yeah the Camels right there" he pointed. As I had thought he rang them up without question and we paid. As we were leaving I could have sworn I heard the boy being yelled at for his failure to card us. I felt a little bad but told myself it was his fault for being so out of it; we just took advantage of the opportunity.

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We continued our running around mindlessly. Although no love confessions had been announced out loud; we had found ourselves making out in the tent that was still roomy with our new sleeping arrangements, side by side with little and sometimes no space between us. Life seemed to go on without us. I'd had lost track of how far I was from home, and I had lost caring. The main thing I worried about was trying the make the last seventy-five dollars out of the five-hundred we got a year before. We usually went though about twenty-five a month if you include food, water, and misalliance items such as Cassidy's "chick stuff", and the occasional lighter for camp fires and my daily cigarettes which were seemed to be running out too. That leaves us maybe four months if we're very conservative on food, which won't be a problem for Cassidy but might be for me.

"Butch" my thoughts were interrupted by Cassidy who seemed to stop walking. I looked back at her and she points out a small narrow trail. It seemed to be abandoned and unkept for at least a decade. Together we followed the new found trail up to an old shack that looked like it hasn't been occupied in at least twenty some odd years. With a mixture of uncertainty and excitement, I walked up to the door. The porch seemed like it was about to fall out from under me but stood. I then knocked at the door to make sure there wasn't a crazy old man hiding within it. After no answer for a minute or so I jiggled the knob; the door came right open. Stepping in I motioned Cassidy to follow. The place was partly furnished. There was a floral designed couch in the middle of the room a bed in the corner and a small kitchen in the back. Everything else seemed broken. The TV's glass was shattered. If the place ever had electricity it was shut of long ago, but it was a far better residence than our traveling tent. We could actually stay in one place for once. A tent sitting not too far off a high way is suspicious enough much less for a week or so. I was sick of walking forever every day and so was Cassidy. We were close enough to the town to easily get supplies but far enough away where we would be left alone. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking" she said looking up to me with a grin.

If she was thinking that we could stay here instead of the tent we been carrying around for the past eight-teen months she'll be right. "I think so." I replied walking deeper in to the shack. "Why don't we take a look around; I think a hear a river somewhere in the back."

"All right but you need to be careful; I'm not a great swimmer so we're both screwed if you fall in" she said, walking around the shabby structure. After telling her to watch her step, I went out back. I was right there was a river back there but the water was so grimy I wouldn't risk drinking it or Cassidy. There was also a pear tree in the back they looked nice and ripe for early spring and I picked two up that had fallen. "So are we staying?" She asked me when I walked back in.

"For a while until we figure out what to do about our money situation" she had to know after a year we will be running low again.

"What are we gonna do, Your not as cute as you used to be...Well..not to the old folks." she said giving me an odd look I caught myself blushing a bit at this, but she was right; we couldn't pull the poke-scout thing again. I was almost fourteen and she was almost thirteen. She also wasn't the stick figure pig-tailed girl that showed up at my window ether; even if, she still were her hair the same. Searching though my mind, I had nothing I could tell her. I had no ideas or ways to get a hold of money, so I decided to change the subject.

"The water in the river doesn't look safe, but there is a pear tree." I said giving her one of the pears I had picked up. I had already taken a bite of mine it was a little tart but better than any thing we would have to travel with. "So what have you found in here." She then walked across the room.

"In the closet I found fishing gear but I don't feel like carp. There's also a box with a bunch of photos and letters; I haven't looked at them because I thought you should be here before we start tampering with this guys stuff. The kitchens pretty useless I found a Weedle and Kakuna family in the broken ice box. We probably should just leave them alone. I found also found Caterpie in the couch; I bet there's more where he came from. The bed is shot., but the floor seems surprisingly seems to be the only thing that doesn't have a lot of problems. I think we should look though the letter box to find out if this persons coming back or not." So we sat down on the floor as not to fall though the bed or disturb the Catterpi living in the couch. The first thing we found in the box was a picture of a man in a hat with all kinds of hooks attached to it. He was in his early fifties and holding a gigantic Magikarp triumply in his arms; it seemed to be the same river as crystal clean. The next time it was a journal. It seemed to be written by the fisher but never sent. It seemed to be to his wife and described all the fish he caught on a day to day basis it was dated in the summer but it didn't have a year but I assume it was at least a decade ago. Skimming though it I found out the water is bad all the Magikarp that lived in it died and then the entrees stopped. "It's a good thing you didn't drink that water" Cassidy said gravely.

"So this guy was at least fifty and he makes a living of Magikarp and the river back there is empty. I don't think he's coming back. I guess we could stay for as long as we need to." I said a little more happily. At least we knew no one will bust in and find us; the guy had to be at least 60 now and probably couldn't brave the wilderness much less come out to a place where the water was poisoned.


	10. Pirece and Harmony

Neoshipping: Before Team Rocket

By: PiperSpoon13

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or the characters I just enjoy enhancing the back stories to my own twisted fancy

Summery: Butch and Cassidy and how they ended up wrapped up in the crime of team rocket.

Author's note: This entire chapter is from neither Butch or Cassidy's point of view but is excretal for the story line.

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Being a recruiter for the boss was difficult enough without him demanding that they be really young with no desire to go home. Heck, I wanted to go home to see my family every once in a while, and if Harmony's family weren't all up tight, she would miss them, but they were controlling and had their hearts on her running the family business of the factory, which plotted the air on a daily basis. If one thing kept Harmy from being a superb rocket was her love for nature, which she contagiously gave to me; I'll find myself doing the same sorts of things. It is because of her flower-child-ness, that we are recruiters to begin with. She was agents using nets and anything that could possibly hurt the poor defenseless pokemon during the capture. She would capture them by using gram crackers and other snacks and then rolling a pokeball at them most would think it was another snack. The boss told us not to consider it a demotion, but he didn't need pokemon that would fall for such tricks; however think of it as a promotion for bringing in future rockets and get them ready for training, only the cleverest rockets can pull that off. And so it was that time a year again. The time of year when we must find a two youngsters and convince them to join our crime team. Harmony will find out the most recently robbed stores and I'd hack into security tapes to see if they were what we were looking for. "You find anything, Pierce?" she hollered at me laying down another news paper to the two foot pile below. "Try looking up a that convenient store on hw 22. They think it was done by kids." So doing as I was told I typed away until I found the security tape dated two weeks ago. Sure enough it was kids a boy and a girl, both around 13. He seemed to be the strong one, but she was fast. They took only food and soda with exception of the boy taking all the camel cigarettes he could fit in his bag.

"Harmy. I think we found our baby rockets." she comes over excitedly and watches the video clip from my lap, her bright blue hair now blocking my vision.

"I think your right, Pierce but how.." she never finished her sentence as her Ninetails rubbed up agenist her demanding attention. She of course refused to lock it in it's pokeball if it pleased to stay out. "How are we gonna find them?"

"I guess we can stake out the area this probably isn't a one time occasion. It seems that they're stealing for survival. Their going to have to eat again." I said confidently

She smiled and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before saying," I'll go pack our bags and load up the van. You see if you can find anymore information on these kidos". Shortly after she left the room I felt the room shake a bit. With a smile, I turned around to see my Golem carrying a suit case to the door. Looking back at the fuzzy black and white picture of the young thieves, I studied their appearance. The boy had darker hair but couldn't tell the color; the hair went just to his collar bone and his bangs hung unevenly between his eyes and his eyebrows. The girl for sure had fair hair down to her mid back, tied into two braids. After watching the video searval times, I began to be able to read their lips. The first thing I understood was the girl saying to the boy as he was bagging the cigarettes', "Hutch, do we really have the time.." I couldn't read the rest and the name was uncertain. Harmony then popped in the room with and Ninetails, "you did a good job Golem," she said patting his hard body. "You ready to head out Hun?"

After shutting down my computer, I packed up and left to where the robbery took place.

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I never knew why Pierce had joined the team, but everyone has their reasons. I looked over at him, driving the van with his light brown hair blowing in the wind. This was only our second year of recruiting and I much preferred agent work to this. It seemed kind of cruel to blind sight people, especially kids, into joining an organization where they could be easily aresseted before age twenty. Pierce and I had only been caught once in our one year of being agents, but I knew plenty of others who are in and out of prison all the time. My feet were beginning to feel like fire as my Ninetails fell asleep on them; I had to move her. "come on sweetie why don't you take a nap in your pokeball, just until we get to a stopping spot." she looked up to me annoyed but returned anyway. Poor Golem weighted too much and had to stay in his pokeball from the beginning. Soon enough we pulled in to the town closet to the robed gas station and got a room. "So," I said looking up to him, "Where do we start looking for them?"

Looking at the city map, he said, "I say we wait till midnight and drive to every siren we hear. If it's not them we will bolt, but if it is, we will just wing it. Maybe we can walk around town looking for them and eavesdrop on where they might be planning to go next."

"Aww. but they seem like young lovers we can't eavesdrop on anything personal." I wined; I hated when other rockets whispered about us. We were called the hippie rockets. Just because I didn't like their capturing tactis, and took a just as effective but genteler aproch.

"We won't listin in on anything like that and besides they can't be too serious. They look fourteen at the oldest and thats just the boy. The girl looks twelve." So Pirce and I sent the day wondering the town, his Golam seemed to like this the most it was a hot summer day the kind he would just roll around the yard in back home. It wasn't untill we went in to the Ditto-Mart to get some sandwichs that we got any leads. Heading for the checkout line I heard kids talking. Elbowing Pirce we quietly listing in as we followed them.

"I don't know Butch. I think we're making this a habit." the blond said as she look up to the male.

"You don't think it's necessary, Cassie?" the teal haired boy said almost angrily, but his voice softened. "Cass...It's just that you haven't eaten in over a day. It's not good for you and the Pear tree isn't gonna be around much longer most of the fruit is bad or has bugs eating on them. I'm just worried about you. Cassie?" the girl seemed to suddenly drop to the floor.

"I'm fine Hun. We'll find a place tonight. It wasn't that hard the last time and I'm sure the place a block behind the other will have crappy security there too." She said as the boy helped her up.

"you've gotta eat something babe" he said helping her up and then he shoved a can of fruit in to his jacket. "They don't have what we're looking for do they Sarah" his voice wasn't hushed like it had been in fact it was almost as he wanted people to hear.

"Nope, Bob, looks like mama isn't getting her blackberries today." she said at the same tone. Walking back to the hotel Pierce and I discussed what we were going to do and how we were gonna convince them to join.

"So we know their going to try to rob the convenient store on the corner, here tonight." I said. "Maybe just talking to them is going to work."

"Did talking to you work when you were their age?" He was right I was conked on the head by rocket recruiters after TP-ing another factory. They had confronted me before but stealing pokemon wasn't what I wanted out of life, but after spending a week with my recruiters and being paired with Pierce I felt I could change the world boy was I wrong.

"Your right but we're not bonking them on the head; they're so scrawny I think it might kill them."

"No, from what I saw Cassie is the speedy one. I say we get a sleeping dart and pretend to take her hostage and tell the boy to get in the van. From there we can BS it they're obviously running from something, and we can give them a escape rope." he paused seeing my face of uncertainty. "And if they're really not into it we'll let them go and find some other kids"

So that was the plan. It was a little rough for us but the last kids came and knocked on our door thy were best friends and nasty rough little boys. I was glad when John and Wayne left for the real training as John had actually broke Pierce's arm and Wayne wouldn't stop flirting with me, but that didn't matter now we had to get these kidos to join or the boss would have our necks

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Authors Note: Thanks again buneary709, I might be posting more than I am already I tend to write when I'm depressed (I just found out something really sad, nevermind) or board and I have the rest of this one pretty much planed out upstairs (if you know what I mean) and another neoshippy, Rocketshipy and a bit of pokeshipping pened in a notebook that I'll probably type up soon. Thanks for reading.


	11. Team Rocket

Neoshipping: Before Team Rocket

By: PiperSpoon13

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or the characters I just enjoy enhancing the back stories to my own twisted fanacy

Summery: Butch and Cassidy and how they ended up wrapped up in the crime of team rocket.

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I hated stealing everything from food to tampons, but there was no other way once summer set in the pears rotted and we were left with nothing but a rickety shack that acted as if it would cave in every storm. Butch would try to build up by doing chin ups on a low branch, while I ran along the river. As much as I hated it as a punishment it was an excellent way to start the morning or evening. Especially a evening where the day will end up in sirens and us running from them. After collapsing in the store, Butch made me eat half a can of fruit and half a can of tuna, what else. I didn't want to become one of the anorexic girls you see in tabloids all the time, but I hadn't been able to bring myself to eat. I don't know if it's cause I'm completely burnt out on canned crap or something else; I gagged down the tuna just to make Butch feel better. He always seemed worried about me ratter than himself; even if, he was a hardy eater. Once it started getting dark; we walked to our next robbery. We planed to do it like we did before one the owner locks up for the night Butch will bust the window and we will have five minutes or less to grab all we can and spilt. The main problem we had was carrying enough to last more than a month. We had shoplifted clothing when we needed it but our worst fear was getting caught and sent home, so we didn't steal unless we had to. Four more years till I'm 17 and will be free from my past forever. I wouldn't be considered a minor and my step-father will have no control over me. We just had to survive until then.

It was now dark and Butch and I were hiding in the bushes. He leaned over and kissed me. "It's gonna be okay I promise." he then lit up a cigarette. how could he be so stupid, since we stated stealing he'd gone from smoking one a day to at least three, more like six.

"Butch!" I scolded, "Your going to catch us on fire, put that thing out."

"Don't worry so much" he said blowing smoke across the night air. "Sweetheart I think it's time." he grumbled looking at an elderly man walk to his car. Once he was out of site, Butch made his way to the glass door with the lead pipe we found behind the cabin. "Are you ready?" He said preparing to swing at the door. I nodded and closed my eyes. Sounds of shattering glass filled the air followed by a siren. Braking away the glass with some leather gloves we found with the fishing stuff, we climbed in. I was wearing gloves too, but they weren't thick enough not to be cut by the glass. I went around the store shoving all the food of the shelf in to the book bag. Butch was loading his bag with bottled water and other drinks. "C'mon Butch, we half to go." I said grabbing his arm.

"You go ahead, I'll be right there" he said, climbing being the counter to his cigarettes. 'So will the police; He has a problem with those things.' I thought climbing back though the broken door. I had about made it to the bushs when I felt a small sting in my side I mannaged to get a small yelp in before went black.

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"You go ahead, I'll be right there." I told myself I wouldn't get additiced but I found out when I had them I felt better stronger and even manlier, and when I didn't smoke for I while I'll feel tired and sometimes even snap at Cassidy; I didn't want to be my father especially with her. My father is the reason why my mother left even though he would say it was because I was a 'bad boy' that may have worked when I was 5 or 7 but not now. He treated me badly; I'm sure he didn't treat her any better, probably worst. I shook the memories off as I shoved one last pack in my bag. I was about to leave when I heard Cassidy yell out. I then ran out, cutting my arm on the broken glass. There stood a man, he had light brown hair styled in a mullet; he had to be in his mid-twenties, early thirties tops, and in his arms, was an knock out Cassidy. Dropping my bag, I ran at him but something caught me.

"Not so fast lover boy." it was a woman's voice. I turned around, she had long vibrant blue hair with a green headband right at her bangs. She had hold of me by the collar of my shirt. "Put her in the van, Pierce." she said to the other man laid Cassidy in the back of a black van.

"What do you want? We don't have any money" I asked trying to slide out of my shirt to run to her rescue.

"Just get in the van; we'll explain everything on the way." she said a little more gentle, letting go of my collar.

So I climbed into the van. Cassidy was still out for the count. "What did you do to her?" I said trying to hold the fear back in my voice. These people were no kind to be messed with. She seemed smaller than she did when she was sleeping, but she was breathing normally but wouldn't wake up.

"It's just a sleeping dart; she'll be back soon and back to normal in an hour or two." the man said. "By the way I'm Pierce and this is Harmony. We work for an organization that can save your butts, so you might be able to get a descent shower, a way to earn your own money, and protection from whatever your running from." the man said not taking his eyes off the road

"What are you two running from anyway?" Harmony asked me looking back with curiosity and concern. I didn't know what to tell her; I guess I could tell her the truth but not the names or details of the matter.

"My father beat me and her step-father had naughty thoughts about her." I said not wanting to give my kidnappers too much information. She then noticed my shoulder bleeding I had forgotten all about it. She climbed out of her seat and grabbed a small box, sat down next to me and doctored it up.

"Sorry we couldn't be more civil about this. We work for Team Rocket it's Pierce and my job to bring in new members. After watching you two... well your naturals, you could actually be agents, on the black squad even, but right now we gotta worry about getting you some rest; you can turn back now and we could disappear forever; we'll even wait for her to come to and decide if you want." the woman seemed really nice, and getting a job sounded really great, but I should consult with Cassidy first, but she beat me to it.

"Let's do it Butch." she said half asleep.

"Are you sure?" I asked pushing a loose curly lock from her forehead. She only nodded.

"Do you have everything you need?" Harmony asked looking at us both. We had our pokemon and the clothes on our backs but most of all each other I couldn't think of anything else we needed.

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Authors note: This is the end unless it seems unfinished then I'll go on. Just tell me I don't want to leave ya hanging


	12. Life with the Hippie Rockets

Neoshipping: Before Team Rocket

By: PiperSpoon13

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or the characters I just enjoy enhancing the back stories to my own twisted fanacy

Summery: Butch and Cassidy and how they ended up wrapped up in the crime of team rocket. ____________________________________________________________

I woke up the next day to murmuring voices. I barley recalled the night before; they had brought us to their hotel to 'think it over'. Butch and I were too tired to do much thinking and fell asleep almost imminently.

"We should let them clean up and eat something, the poor kids layer down and fell asleep right off." the man said.

"I couldn't agree more, hey I think she's waking up." I sat up in the bed looking around and the woman came over to me. I couldn't make out her features because the lights were out. I noticed she was holding a fresh set of clothing. "I put some good shampoo in the shower, so you don't have to use the hotels free crud." I just nodded a thank you, still not sure if I was just dreaming. A shower did sound good though. I looked over at Butch who was snoring in his deep sleep. He's here if it isn't a dream, I conformed heading to the shower. I came out in the new clothes they fitted better than the ones I had. Butch was up but still looked asleep.

"uh thanks." I wasn't sure what to say everyone was just staring at me. I heard a snicker come from the man; I knew it was about my wild hair. The blue haired woman elbows him hard in the ribs.

"Butch why don't you get a shower" she then looked at me and smiled "I can do something with that hair if you want." it took me long enough to unbraid. Dream or not I could at least get some styling advise. So I went in sat on the floor by the bed. Butch was finished before she even got the mess untangled. I would just put it in messy braids after awhile instead of hours trying to brush it smooth. The strangers names were Harmony and Pierce. They looked like hippies mixed with styles from the mid-eighties. Pierce was a smoker too so he and Butch went outside for awhile. I don't know how long it took Harmony to comb out the matted mess, but sure enough she managed to put it back in the two braids. To my surprise it was at my waist before the braids only reached the middle of my back. "There" she said, "I can't believe I used to envy those with curly hair."

When Butch and Pierce returned, there was a strange silence for a moment, Pierce was the first one to speak, "We have to start somewhere, so...we have an ultamatim for you two. We talked to Butch last night but do to the sleeping dart we used on you, Cassidy, we thought it would be best if we stayed here so you can make the decidion together. If you take our offer you will be stealing Pokemon from arragant trainers or hunting rare ones. For this you will be paid and won't have to steal to eat anymore. We will give you training of our own for the next six months to prepare you the bosses training. You will be fed and have shelter. If you refuse our offer now your on your own; Harmy and I will find differnet runnaways to work with, but let me say this you two have the tallent to be great even by the bosses standards. If not the boss won't turn you away your paycheck will be smaller and your work more boring that's it, but it still will be more than you have now."

I couldn't believe myself this actully sounded like a way out, it may not had been the picture I vistioned when I ran off but it would be far better than how we had lived for the past two years. Butch was staring at me for an answer. Already made up my mind, I turned to him and said, "I think this might be our only prayer of not ending up back home." It was we couldn't possibly think we could steal for another two years without being caught, and if we were with them we could at least have backup until we were of age. He nodded, so we signed the employment papers.

"We're gonna have to head out soon otherwise we will have to pay another night to the hotel. We also might want to get a cover story for you two when we are not at our apartment" Harmony said gathering things. "Hmmm...Cassidy you are my little sister, Pierce is my boyfriend."

"I thought you said cover story" Pierce joked his voice was almost seductive. I caught myself giggling at this; he was right it was obvious already that there was more than Team Rocket between them.

"I don't have to change everything do I, Butch...uh your Pierce's cousin and he is your guardian while your mother is taking a internship in the Hoen region. There we go a cover story." I didn't want to tell her Butch and I could of done a better one on our own, so I didn't say anything. We were on our way to making a living and I was barley thirteen I wasn't going to complain.

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The first few weeks with the hippie rockets were rough I'm not gonna lie. Harmony wasn't as nice as she seemed at least not during training and would push me on the treadmill till my legs were about to give out and call names if I tried to wuss out. Cassidy wasn't have any better luck with self-defense with Pierce. She'd have fist size bruises on her legs. We would do separate training till the end of the day and they would compete us. Sometimes I think It was a compaction between Pierce and Harmony too. As hard as it was after a month of this vigorous training eight hours a day. We had made progress Cassidy wouldn't lap me as easily and I actually had to try to pin her down; whereas we began I could do it blindfolded first thing in the morning and she could run circles around me. The hours that we spent not training or studding pokemon and their attacks (Cassidy was by far better at this than me) or practicing lock picking techniques and alarm rigging(I was better than her at this) were the best, even if there were few not spent sleeping. Pierce and Harmony were like the brother and sister neither of us had, and they seemed to be more concerned with each other than what we were doing. Their apartment was huge, Cassidy and I got almost as much alone time as we did when we were alone pretty much, all we needed anyway. Half the time the rockets were the reason why we left for alone time, watching them was close to watching soft porn. There definition of making out was much different than mine.

"So how serious are you two?" Pierce asked me on the balcony, Harmony wouldn't let us smoke inside. I didn't know what to say, so he clarified further. "Have you done more than kiss? Have you kissed at all? Are you using protection?" that though me off for sure, I had to say something to make him stop.

"We've kissed a lot but nothing more. I haven't done more, wanted to...It's just.."he seemed to know what the problem was cause finished my sentence.

"You don't want to stir up memories of her step-father." I nodded. "Well son, your missing out." I didn't want to know that, I thought wincing what he and Harmony did at night was their business. "Here take this and keep it in your wallet, just in case." he said handing me a small black package. "you know what it is right?"

"Of course" I said awkwardly not wanting to seem lame, in front of the other man. Truefully I did know what it was but I had never seen one before. I had only reconized the name on the package.

"Love is great man, but little tikes in a criminal group like ours are not. The boss doesn't really like romance in the teams but what he doesn't know won't hurt him." Glad for the first time in a long time my cigeriette was dead, I put it out in the ash tray with a thanks and went in.

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A/N: Okay I know the whole condom thing was random and won't come in to play in this story at all. It was just a thought I got when I thought of Pirece's character. The two of them are pretty much hippies with out the drugs. Just think of him as I voiced before the brother Butch never had.


	13. Hospital

Neoshipping: Before Team Rocket

By: PiperSpoon13

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or the characters I just enjoy enhancing the back stories to my own twisted fanacy

Summery: Butch and Cassidy and how they ended up wrapped up in the crime of team rocket.

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I could here voices of Butch and the rockets but couldn't make out what they were saying or see much other than bright and dark blurs. Someone was carrying me. As he did so I could make out the voices. "I told you, you were being too rough." Harmony said.

"I told her to say something if it got to hard for her." Pierce said, so that was who was holding me.

"Whatever, now we gotta think of a cover story for this." Harmony said, the anger in her voice very evident. I remembered Pierce and I working on my flinching problem and trying to get it so he couldn't get an attack in, a light slap across the head, and occasionally pulling me into a choke hold. I wiggled out of the hold and went down to trip him, from there I can't remember. "How could you fall on her?" it didn't seem like Harmony was going to forgive him easily. "Well think of a cover already, you were the one who screwed up!"

"I tripped and she was doing homework in the floor. Names..." Pierce stopped speaking to think I assume.

"Sarah, Bob, Rick, and Leslie. There will you too just shut-up already. She's gonna be ok as long as we get her to the ER quick and your arguing isn't making us move faster." That was Butch I would recognize his voice anywhere no matter what the cigarettes do to his voice.

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I was mad at Pierce too, but he seemed really sorry. He didn't do it purposely and she had tripped him. I was having second thought about this whole Team Rocket thing, but they had kept their word we didn't miss a meal and Cassidy was eating, which was better than before. We got regular showers and had more than one set of clothing. Something like this would happen no matter what. She only had a broken wrist and nasty bruise on her forehead. She would be back to normal in 6 weeks or less. Leaving the hospital we ran into someone unexpectedly, my father. "Get in the car, Sarah." I said gravely.

"Excuse me sir." Harmony said, she knew something was wrong but had acted natural bumping him out of the way, "Hey Rick, get you and your brother in the car, before I miss my program, Rick?" It was already too late, Pierce and my father were wrestling on the concrete.

"Who do you think you are messing with my son?" my father yelled, I had forgotten how bulky he was or he got really fat after I left. He had Pierce pinned flat on the ground I had to do something. I soon found myself jumping on his back putting my arms around his neck. "Butch you and that girl are in enough trouble as it is. You'd be lucky if her father doesn't have you put in Juviee, so stay out of this." he said throwing me off. I sat back rubbing the forming knot on my head, afraid to get involved again. Pierce was throwing punches from underneath but had little progress; my father however seemed set on killing the younger man. Shouting curse words as he beat him. Then there was two quick sounds like a muffled gun shot but very quiet. I turned around and there was Harmony with a funny looking wepon in her shaking hands she fired two more times.

"Get him off of me" Pierce mumbled from underneath. After a minute or two, Harmony and I managed to roll his heavy body aside. He was still breathing but had been shot four times with the same dart gun they had used on Cassidy two months ago. "You Okay?" He asked me getting in the car, I was the one who should be asking this as his lower lip was swollen and nose was bleeding so bad the hakerchif Harmony gave him was stained bright red and dripping, but I answered his question by nodding quickly. I took one last look at my sleeping father before climbing into the van myself. The rockets had protected us; if it had been just Cass and me we would be home by tomorrow. I knew I couldn't fight my father now much less before. We had made a good decision by signing those papers.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------- A/N: Really short I know, I'm trying to bring it to a close before it drags out too long like it probably already has. New chapter soon.


	14. Goodbye

Neoshipping: Before Team Rocket

By: PiperSpoon13

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or the characters I just enjoy enhancing the back stories to my own twisted fanacy

Summery: Butch and Cassidy and how they ended up wrapped up in the crime of team rocket.

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The incident in the hospital garage wasn't quickly forgotten. when we got back to the apartment, they demanded to know who or what we were running from, how they look and act. "We were lucky the dart gun was still in the van otherwise I think we would've been screwed. With all our pokemon at home..." Harmony didn't finish. Pierce still insists he didn't need her help, but I agree with Harmony 'we would be screwed with out that dart gun.' So Butch and I started listing people who would recognize us and how they might react. They knew why we ran off but not the details trusting them we told them those too. Pierce was surprised that I came from one of the richest families in the region. Looking back now, it seemed like a different world, a different life even.

We didn't go back to our normal training plan until my wrist was better but they still had us study. Butch had been a bit cold toward Pierce for the first week but cooled off quickly.

It was Harmony who brought up Christmas. I had forgotten entirely about holidays It was hard to celebrate when you barley could get enough to eat. "So what will you guys want." Another question, I couldn't even begin to answer they had already done enough by taking us in. Butch and I shrugged. "I'm sure Pierce and I can think of something after all we only have you kids till January; we're gonna miss you."

That Christmas was my best by far. Harmony took me to get my ears pierced earlier so I could wear different ones sooner. Christmas day I was given bright purple earrings shaped in little upside-down triangles. Butch received a pipe and spent the next few hours trying to smoke it. Pierce and Harmony got in a huge augment because he forgot the cut the rings the sodas came with. "Think if a Psyduck got it around it's neck or a poor Pidgey getting it's leg stuck. You need to be sure to cut these up real well.' he snapped saying he forgets one time and she turns in to a gyrados; by the end of the hour they had made up and left us for their bedroom. We decided what we should probably do the same.

"Cassie, are you nervous about the placement tests." Butch said as we laid down in the bunk beds, I taken bottom bunk just because he usually would curl up next to me once a week, my idea or his it just seemed more confront able that way and the rockets both encouraged it. I didn't know what to say what happens we would do our best and build our way up. We had to.

"A little" I finally replied, "Why?"

"I don't know it's just that they said it'll be harder, much harder." Butch said patting his Fearow who was perched on the top of the bed. It had evolved in one of the practice battles with Harmony's ninetails. Since then when we battled, it was a coin toss. Raticate was sleeping in the crook of my knees. Harmony said they could wonder the house but they mainly just stuck to us. Butch's fearow preferred the pokeball most of the time. Raticate feel asleep where ever it pleased which often upset the ninetails who did the same thing. Pierce's Golem stayed out side till it got too cold and then he hung around by the heater.

"We made it this far didn't we, and you say I worry too much." with that we both fell asleep.

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The last week with the rockets, went by really fast. Pierce went to the base to pick up our training uniforms, blue sweat suits with big red Rs chest. The day came where they had to put us on the bus to take us to the main headquarters. "So I guess we'll be seeing you" Pierce said, he then leaned over and whispered to me "I put an extra carton and a few lighters in your bag." Shaking my hand he turned to say his goodbye's to Cassidy, and Harmony came up to me.

"I'm really gonna miss you kids you know that?" She said pushing my hair out of my eyes, whereas she had tears forming in her hazel ones. She looked at Cassidy who seemed to be laughing at something Pierce just said. "You two take care of each other and don't be surprised if you find some really nasty rockets out there because most of them are. Good-bye now." she finished throwing her arms around my neck. I wasn't sure how to respond, no one but Cassidy has hugged me for seven years, but I returned the hug anyway. "You two write us alright we're not going anywhere." With that the hippie rockets boarded us on the bus. The bus driver was a muscular dressed in a black suit similar to ours In the back there were two girls in dark green uniforms giggling looking at a magazine. About have way down there was another team in yellow. We chose a seat opposite of the yellow team but a ways up. Cassidy then turned to me.

"Do you think we should try to make friends?" I looked back the yellow team which was a boy with green hair and another boy with purple hair cut real short, they both were giving us dirty looks. The green team behind us seemed too absorbed in their magazine to care what we were up to. I shook my head. and leaned up against to window and soon fell asleep. Cassidy took the travel pillow and laid on my back.

The bus stopped and I looked up. We didn't seem to be there yet, probably picking up some more kids. As the team boarded a boy and a girl in a deep purple uniform they seemed to be the nastiest of all. they sat in the back with the green team. "Alright kids the red team should already be there, sit back go to sleep eat your lunches you packed if you forgot or are still hungry there's an ice chest up here with bottled water and peanut butter sandwiches." the driver said starting up the bus again. Cassidy layer back down on my shoulder and I against the window. "Alright kidos off you go. warning to you all keep to yourselves until you get your rank. Must full rockets don't like the trainees at their heels." How long had it been? I wondered grabbing my and Cassidy's duffels from the rack above the seats. I handed Cassidy her duffle seeing that all the other teammates carried their own.

"We need to be careful showing how close we are." I whispered. To cover, she started to laugh with a nod. We put on our nastiest expressions and headed through the large double doors of a glass building that looked like an average business building. In side was another man in black who was sitting with a girl with long dark red hair a partner was no where in sight and she appered to be in trouble. After making eye contact with Cassidy she shot her with death glares and to my surprise Cassidy was giving her own daggers as well.

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A/N: I know there will be at least one more chapter but I'm trying to bring it to an end soon. Any ideas? I will give you credit.


	15. Catfights and secrets

Neoshipping: Before Team Rocket

By: PiperSpoon13

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or the characters I just enjoy enhancing the back stories to my own twisted fanacy

Summery: Butch and Cassidy and how they ended up wrapped up in the crime of team rocket.

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After the argument those many years ago, Jessie and I spent our time getting back at one other. She'll say something nasty to me, and I would say something nastier back. I'll play a prank and she would humiliate me in front of the class in some way. It eventually got to the point where we had to get separate rooms. The last thing she did to me, was tattling that I was hanging out by the fence talking to Butch. I then dumped honey on her hair at lunch the last day I was there. She was the one to throw the first blow, this time. "Oh look what the Mewoth drug in, why it's the poor little rich girl. What are you crying about now. Did you lose your silver spoon?"

Thinking quickly I backfired with, "I guess some things never change, you still can't get people to come to your pity parties. Is it something new this time or are you still crying over your Mama" I sneered at her. I knew it was low, but hers wasn't much better. If fact if she hadn't tattled on me; I wouldn't be here.

"Why, I outta smash your face in" by now everyone was staring at the two of us. We were both standing, giving each other hateful looks.

I knew I was pushing my luck by saying what I was about to say, but I wasn't about to be labeled the chicken on my first day of training. "I'll love to see you try." with that she seized me, knocking me to the ground . I reached up to claw her face. She grabbed me by one of my braids and yanked. Using all my strength to flip her over, I slapped her. In return she flipped me and slammed my face against the tile. I did the same in return.

It seemed we were so set on killing each other, we didn't even see the older rockets until they pulled us apart. The rocket that grabbed me was well built with spiked, dark-orange hair. He brought me to a room with two chairs on each side of a table. Setting me down he said, "Sit" his voice was deep and very annoyed; I knew I was in trouble. "Here" he said reaching in what looked like a medicine cabinet and tossing me an ice pack. "We always have rockets that can't get along for the life of them, but we never had a full out fight before the training even starts. Now we aren't asking ya'll to be all buddy-buddy, but the performance back there was simply unacceptable. Don't you worry the other girl is getting the same speech. Now I'm going to go get some paper work and you better still be in this room when I get back." the man left the room, and I decided to walk around the table to the mirror. My face had been stinging since I calmed down from the adrenaline rush I got from the fight. Looking at my reflection, I saw my lip was swollen and I had a golf ball size knot forming on my forehead. How could I let Jessie get to me like that; Now I was in trouble again, I wonder what my punishment will be. The door opened up and the orange haired man came back in, and laid down a piece of formal looking paper. "This says you've been counseled and warned. If this happens again you will be sent to the boss and he'll set your punishment, which can vary from double training hours to things your too young to even think about. I suggested you ignore each other or just exchange hateful words there's nothing against that. Now I'm going to show you to your room don't worry we're not going to room you with Jessie." So he led me to my room as we walked I looked around. There were statues of the legendary birds and rare pokemon all the way. The marble walls and floors reminded me of my old boarding school. "here you go. Wake up call is at 5:30, breakfast ends at 7 and training starts at 7:30. I don't recommend you skipping. The boss frowns on those who pass out during training, and I notice a lot of young girls like you try to stay thin by skipping meals, stupid girls if you ask me; you'll get plenty of exercise in the activities."

"Where's Butch?" I asked insecurely. I hadn't been with anyone else but him for the last two years. I had almost forgotten how to socialize with others.

"Your partner? He's with the other boy trainees you'll meet up at breakfast tomorrow and if you make agent you might just be able to room together. Word of advise, get some sleep, the first day is always the hardest." and he left I sat on the only available bed in the room was the girl from the purple team and the green team. Amanda and Alyssa were the green teams names; they were sisters. Kayla was the purple girls, but that was all she said to me; she didn't seem interested in any thing but the novel she was reading. Amanda and Alyssa were more talkative. Their parents had died in a car accident and they were left with their overbearing religious grandmother, who punished them for what ever she thought was a 'sin' which was everything according to them. So I told them about my mother not giving a damn about me; I couldn't bring myself to even talk about Kenneth those memories were buried in the back of my head with all the other insignificant husbands and boyfriends, and it needed to stay that way. The lights then shut off without notice. Kayla cursed and pulled out a flashlight to continue reading. I just rolled over and went to sleep, which was hard cause the sisters wouldn't shut it.

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After the grown rockets pulled them to separate rooms. A rough looking female rocket came up, followed by another male rocket. "Alright" she said. "First off there will be no fighting outside of training and even then your not trying to kill eachother. Now girls come with me, and guys go with Jake here. We're going to show you to your rooms." So Jake led us to our rooms. I stopped before entering mine. "What is it, kid?" Jake said irritably.

"What's going to happen to the girls who got in the fight?" Jake almost gave me a smile.

"Your one of their partners aren't you. Don't worry we're not gonna kill them or torture them they are just receiving a disciplinary report and a good talking to. You'll see her tomorrow at breakfast, now get some sleep six o'clock comes early."

The boys in my room mainly kept to themselves. The yellow team was talking about the fight, and the boy from the purple team was sketching something. We exchanged names the yellow team the green haired one was named Alan and his partner Bill. They boy from the purple team's was Kyle. We didn't talk much at all Kyle didn't seem to like anyone and the yellow teams conversation made me uncomfortable and angry

"Did you see it coming, Bill, I mean how the red head pounced that blonde. Good Gosh that was hot.." Alan laughed, and turned to me. "That blond chick is your partner isn't she. Don't worry their only gonna shave her head. My brother says that's what they do to trouble makers; They shave their head or put them on the most dangerous mission before any training; Don't worry by the looks of that fight the two of them can handle themselves." I knew he was just trying to scare me and it worked for a moment, but I shook it off. Why trust a kid over the chaperones?

"Your brother also told you, you'll receive an eevee of your choice at the door." Bill said sarcastically. "Don't listen to him he didn't take his meds this morning." Alan then punched him hard in the arm. "Ouch, you shit-head." he said returning the punch. I was happy when the lights shut off. "C'mon it's not even 11 yet." Bill said annoyed. The other boys wined the same objections, some cursing, I couldn't tell who. I rolled over and fell asleep; I wanted morning to come as quick as possible. Sooner morning comes the sooner I get to find out what really happened to her and why she and that girl hate each other.

I was woken up with a loud buzzer and the lights coming on. I had slept in my rocket uniform so I just straightened my hair, brushed my teeth and headed down to the cafeteria. All the other guys just rolled over. I was one of the first ones up and ready out of all the trainees. The cafeteria was fairly empty a few older rockets here in there some in white uniforms and there seemed to be two different black uniforms some were plain like my blue uniform and others were trimmed in red and white stripes. I sat at an empty table by the door and waited for Cassidy. She wasn't the first or the last group to come in, but arrived about half an hour after I did. There was a red and purple bump on her forehead, her lip was a little discolored in one area, and her nose was skinned, but her hair was all there. Nothing that couldn't be from the fight. "How are you?" I asked reaching for the bump.

"I'm fine, gosh I can't stand that Jessie." she mumbled as we headed to the breakfast line.

"What happened between you two?" I asked, "Obviously you guys haven't gotten along with each other for a while."

"Well we used to be friends, but she was always jealous of me because I came from a wealthy family and she didn't. One day she was just sitting around pitying herself, saying I wouldn't understand and crap like that, and I got fed up with it, and told her to get over herself. From there on we couldn't say anything nice to each other, and we both refused to apologize. But why should I…No gravy" she said to the server they were having biscuits and gravy. "She was the one being hatful to begin with. Any way eventually, we had reached the point where we couldn't possibly say anything nice to each other. I still can't stand her…" We sat down with our trays and milk. It was 6:35. Way too early.

"I've noticed the other teams weren't as close…and Harmony and Pierce said they frown on romances between partners. Maybe we should develop and act to fool them. I don't want to risk getting paired with another partner." I felt clingy but I didn't think I could work with anyone else especially this Jessie girl.

"I don't know Botch, Biff, Bill, Hutch, Butcher, Butch I just can't get you name write I'm surprised you don't get angry." there was a playful hinting in her voice. This was an idea that just might work. All the teams seemed to get publicly on each other's nerves.

"The name is BUTCH." I said angrily, but with a smile which she returned. We had our argument; she would call me anything but my name and I would get angry. It would be a joke just between us, even if , no one ever gets my name right again; we would stay together.

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A.N: This chapter was hard to write because I got in such a snag, but guess what there's still more to come, lots more. I would like to thank Rocket Rookie for his/her idea, I will work up through many events to show how they become the bosses favorites. Don't know when the next chapter will be posted. I've been procrastinating a bunch of projects that are due soon. So I'm going to have to throw something together without, plagiarizing. Anyway feedback is welcome with open arms. Thanks for reading this far hope to write more


	16. Training and rivelies

Neoshipping: Before Team Rocket

By: PiperSpoon13

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or the characters I just enjoy enhancing the back stories to my own twisted fancy

Summery: Butch and Cassidy and how they ended up wrapped up in the crime of team rocket.

_____________________________________

When they had said the 1st day would be brutal they weren't lying. After 5 obstacle courses Butch and I were pooped but it was only lunch. "Who do they think they starting us out so rough." Butch said as the server plopped the macaroni on his plate. I just went with the veggies. I didn't feel like mac and cheese. "I mean we aren't going to be perfect by the first day or the first week for that matter." he fumed on.

"Shut-up, you don't want them to hear you complaining." I said, under my breath, where only he could hear me. He did have a point though they we far too tough on the fist day. It was like Pierce and Harmony's training times ten. Maybe it's just because they were so much more intimidating, but they would yell if we couldn't keep up with the leader, who would run ahead of us. Another trainer would run behind us and about three would run with us calling us names and to 'run home to mommy'. There were a total of about 35 of us all between the ages of 12 and 17. Butch and I being 13 and 14 falling right in the median. A trainer had only gotten in my face once this morning because I couldn't push the foot ball dummy as fast as he thought I should. 'You're a puny little girl aren't you? Team Rocket doesn't have room for those that puny. Do you even weigh 100 pounds?" Actually I weighed 95 but I didn't need to know that "You never gonna beat that redhead at this rate." and that is what got my momentum. We were told we could quit or be dismissed any time for the next 3 weeks with no consequences at all. Our records would be shredded and all record of us will be destroyed. Two teams have already left, well one team and half of to others who where paired when they got here. Unfortunately not any of mine or Butch's roommates. Jessie's partner however left her and she got paired with some pansy, named James and told she would be dismissed if she scared him away.

I hope she does.

"Well at least we get class work for the next 4 hours." he says shoveling macaroni globs into his mouth. "Then we have another 3 hours of physical classes. Their trying to kill us, I tell you."

"If they hear you wining they might." I said, taking a bite of my salad.

"Your right it's still better than the streets or home and their food certainly better than tuna in a can." I couldn't help but laugh.

We went to class and was given a pre-test. The test was laughable; it was so freaking easy. Less than half the class then got put in an advance class, a total of 10, Jessie and her dingbat partner included. This class was not laughable at all like the basics.

The first 'activity' was disassembling an alarm but still keeping it all together or something like that. A female rocket in her late teens leaned over me. "Cut this wire" she said, it was the wrong one, she was telling me to cut the wrong one. They want us to fail, and they say one on one is better. I reached to cut the one which I knew was the one wire that would entirely shut down the alarm. "Boom!" she whispered in my ear. Than laughed and simply said "Good girl you went with you instincts." I looked at Butch, he was smiling. He must've not listened to his trainer either. Jessie however had black soot all over her face. It seemed that only four people managed not to be fooled. As I was putting up the alarm, I couldn't help but say "Hey Jessie I think you have something on you face." and sniggered back to my seat. She just glared at me but her partner started to giggle even though his face had black powder all over it too; she shoved him and he shushed up quickly.

"That was a dirty trick" Kayla said wiping her face with the towel they had provided.

"Life is filled with 'dirty tricks'. You just are going to have to out smart them." The head leader said. All the rockets helping us seemed to be agents. The one talking might have been their supervisor or something because he seemed to be talking to them too. "As criminals you will be running from the cops. There are no 'good cops' just bad ones you will be on probation if not behind bars. If your worth it the boss will bail you out by sending someone over or doing it himself if he's feeling that generous. But the worst thing you can do is talk to them, cops, not only will they stab you in the back but you would have stabbed the team in the back something that we don't forgive easily if at all." he now redirected his voice to strictly us. "If you can't deal with these facts you may quit now with now while you have no record or extensive knowledge about the team but if you leave you may not return if the cops find you youngsters and send you home. Well it's your problem but here we will guarantee you protection, as long as you prove worth which the ten of you are the most promising of this group. As of right now all of you are worthy of being on the team." The rest of the class seemed gloom. I was debating about leaving but the thought of loosing Butch. I had to stay here I was safe-r besides if I were to quit what would Jessie think. She'd think I ran home because I missed the life style. I would prove her right. No way, was I going to let that happen! I will be the better rocket; I will prove to her that I don't need the designer clothes and the big house. I will prove that anything she can do I can do better.

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Butch.

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Class was finally over and we had a 30 minute break before going back to the physical test again. At least they were letting us snack first. I grabbed a package of nuts. Cassidy, who seemed a bit quieter than her normal self picked a yellowish-green apple. "Cass are you sure you want to be here. Be criminals for God knows how long."

"We have no money and to find a job elsewhere means public records. Records your father will find us or worst mine. They haven't stopped looking for us or at least me. I found another ad for me in the paper. You know when we were reading the news. And most of all I'm not going to give Jessie the pleasure of finding out I couldn't handle her lifestyle. I couldn't handle not living the rich life." she finished taking a bite of her apple. We had walked outside to a court yard so I could finally smoke.

"Class wasn't so bad" I said changing the subject. "But I'm sure it'll get harder" Cassidy had now thrown the apple core on the ground so a Mankey will leave her alone

"We probably should get going we have to be back at the track in five minutes". I put my cigarette in the ash tray on top of the outside trash can. I looked around to see if any one was watching us, and snuck a kiss on Cassidy's cheek. She blushed a little and lightly shoved me. When someone grabbed my arm.

"Hey buddy!" a rocket in a white uniform said grabbing my arm. He was a big man one that might be on the football team it this place was High School. He was not smiling but seemed like he was about to beat the crud out of me.

"Uh…sorry sir but we really have to get going." I said awkwardly trying not to show how intimidated I was. All of the sudden the guy busted out laughing.

"I was just going to ask you for a light. Gosh your such a noob." I tossed him my lighter and he lit up his cigerate. "Thanks man, but you should really be careful about that."

We made it back the track with about a minute to spare. The purple team however was late and the dark red lipstick the girl, I think her name's Kayla, was wearing was faded. No need to guess why they were late. But it seemed that everyone but the trainers knew what was going on. Another girl who was wearing a light red suit passed her a compact, and she fixed it before any of them noticed. At least we weren't the only team restraining themselves from romance.

One of the first physical test that evening was climbing a very long rope without any gloves. I did it the quickest out of the guys(they had separated us just be fairish). The quickest of the girls was Kayla, the faded lipstick girl. Cassidy and Jessie had tied for second. I could tell it really irked them both. The two of them seemed to be substituting killing each other with competing with ever little thing. I had never seen such rivalry and a tie caused them to begin arguing. The trainers then have them race each other just to settle it. Cassidy came in first by milliseconds. The whole group was silent even the two of them who were exchanging hateful scowls. As soon as the class was dismissed Jessie took off; I think she may have been trying not to cry. Cassidy just sat seeming very pleased with herself. I'm not sure I like this competitive side of her very much.

After dinner we had 2 hours to study or work on whatever. "I'm going to the gym, you want to come." she said grabbing her half full tray. I followed her almost because she was starting to scare me a little. She had always ate like a pidgey but never had she been so set on anything since we ran off three years ago.

Once at the gym, I figure I might as well work out while keeping a close eye on her. Jessie was already there running vigorously on the treadmill her partner was on the weight machines and was now trapped under a dumb bell. I went over to him and lifted it back up to the rack. The boy looked oddly familiar, blue hair, green eyes. This was the same kid I used to bully. He looked up at me "Thanks." he said then he caught Jessie's warning looks. Cassidy was giving me some of her own. That is when James and I turned on each other. "I could've got it myself." he said hotly.

"Yes! You seemed like you were getting it just perfectly suffocating underneath the bar I said laying down on the one next to it with more weights just to spite him by lifting twice as much. So we were to be arch enemies as well; Good thing I bullied him before. Not that he remembers. He was probably bullied all though school anyway.


End file.
